force someone to do something beyond their ability
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb phrase
to force someone to do something they are not capable of; to push someone into an impossible task
informalUsed to describe a situation where someone is pressured into taking on a role or task for which they lack the skill, talent, or readiness. Often implies the situation is unreasonable or doomed to fail. The expression is vivid and slightly humorous. Synonymous with '打鸭子上架'.
Wǒ我
bú不
huì会
chàng唱
gē歌
，
nǐ你
piān偏
jiào叫
wǒ我
chàng唱
，
zhè这
bú不
shì是
gǎn赶
yā鸭
zi子
shàng上
jià架
ma吗
？
I can't sing, yet you insist I sing, isn't this forcing a duck onto a perch?
Ràng让
tā他
yī一
gè个
gāng刚
bì毕
yè业
de的
xué学
sheng生
qù去
fù负
zé责
zhěng整
gè个
xiàng项
mù目
，
jiǎn简
zhí直
shì是
gǎn赶
yā鸭
zi子
shàng上
jià架
。
Making a fresh graduate responsible for the entire project is like forcing a duck onto a perch.
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Bié别
gǎn赶
yā鸭
zi子
shàng上
jià架
le了
，
tā他
xìng性
gé格
nèi内
xiàng向
，
bú不
shì适
hé合
zuò做
zhǔ主
chí持
rén人
。
Don't force him into it; he's introverted and not suited to be a host.
Jīng经
lǐ理
bǎ把
jì技
shù术
huó活
jiāo交
gěi给
wǒ我
zhè这
gè个
wén文
kē科
sheng生
，
zhēn真
shì是
dǎ打
yā鸭
zi子
shàng上
jià架
a啊
。
The manager giving technical work to a humanities graduate like me is really pushing a duck onto a perch.