impossible/indefinite future date; when pigs fly
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
an indefinite or impossible date in the future; donkey's years
informalUsed rhetorically to indicate that something is unlikely to happen or will take a very long time. Expresses frustration or humor about delay. The literal meaning refers to the "Year of the Monkey and Month of the Horse," which do not align in the traditional Chinese zodiac, thus implying impossibility.
Děng等
tā他
zhǔ主
dòng动
dào道
qiàn歉
？
Nà那
děi得
děng等
dào到
hóu猴
nián年
mǎ马
yuè月
le了
。
Wait for him to apologize on his own? We'd have to wait until the cows come home.
Zhè这
gè个
xiàng项
mù目
lǎo老
shuō说
xià下
zhōu周
qǐ启
dòng动
，
wǒ我
kàn看
děi得
dào到
hóu猴
nián年
mǎ马
yuè月
。
They keep saying this project will start next week; I think it'll be donkey's years before it happens.
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Xiǎng想
kào靠
zhè这
diǎn点
gōng工
zī资
mǎi买
fáng房
，
nà那
shì是
hóu猴
nián年
mǎ马
yuè月
de的
shì事
。
Trying to buy a house with this salary is something that'll happen when pigs fly.