cast pearls before swine

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Also seen as: pearls before swine

Meaning · English

To offer something valuable to people who cannot appreciate it.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Cung cấp điều gì có giá trị cho những người không đánh giá cao

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Literally: To throw pearls in front of pigs.

How to use it

✓ Use it when

Lamenting wasted quality or wisdom on an unreceptive audience.

✗ Avoid it when

It insults the audience — use with care.

Register: formalConnotation: disdainfulEra: Biblical origin – present

Where it’s used: Used Widespread English

Examples

Serving that vintage to people mixing it with cola felt like casting pearls before swine.

Editorial example (illustrative, not a corpus attestation)

Equivalents & related

Common questions

What does “cast pearls before swine” mean?

To offer something valuable to people who cannot appreciate it. Literally: To throw pearls in front of pigs.

Is “cast pearls before swine” formal or informal?

cast pearls before swine is generally formal; connotation: disdainful.

What is the closest equivalent?

“đàn gảy tai trâu” (Tiếng Việt) — direct equivalent.