ruin beautiful things; destroy artistic value
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to burn zithers and cook cranes; to destroy or ruin beautiful things; to vulgarize something elegant; to be destructive of artistic or natural beauty
literaryA classical four-character idiom (成语) expressing strong disapproval of actions that waste, ruin, or cheapen things of beauty, culture, or natural value. Often used in literary or formal contexts. The variant form 煮鹤焚琴 (zhǔ hè fén qín) is equally common.
Bǎ把
zhè这
me么
zhēn珍
guì贵
de的
gǔ古
huà画
ná拿
lái来
diàn垫
zhuō桌
zi子
，
jiǎn简
zhí直
shì是
fén焚
qín琴
zhǔ煮
hè鹤
。
Using such a precious ancient painting to prop up a table is simply destroying something beautiful.
Zài在
rú如
cǐ此
yōu优
měi美
de的
zì自
rán然
jǐng景
qū区
xiū修
jiàn建
huà化
gōng工
chǎng厂
，
wú无
yì异
yú于
fén焚
qín琴
zhǔ煮
hè鹤
。
Building a chemical plant in such a beautiful natural scenic area is no different from destroying natural beauty.
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Tā他
bù不
dǒng懂
yīn音
yuè乐
，
què却
bǎ把
zhè这
xiē些
zhēn珍
guì贵
de的
chàng唱
piàn片
dāng当
fèi废
pǐn品
mài卖
diào掉
，
zhēn真
shì是
fén焚
qín琴
zhǔ煮
hè鹤
。
He doesn't understand music, yet he sold these precious records as junk—truly a waste of valuable things.