incompatible; like a square peg in a round hole
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
incompatible; mutually unsuited; like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole
literaryLiterally refers to the physical incompatibility between a square tenon (方枘) and a round mortise (圆凿). Figuratively describes people or things that cannot fit together or get along. This is a variant order of the more common idiom 方枘圆凿. Note: 凿 was traditionally pronounced zuò in older readings.
Tā他
men们
liǎng两
rén人
de的
xìng性
gé格
yuán圆
záo凿
fāng方
ruì枘
，
gēn根
běn本
wú无
fǎ法
hé合
zuò作
。
Their personalities are completely incompatible, making it impossible for them to work together.
Zhè这
zhǒng种
yuán圆
záo凿
fāng方
ruì枘
de的
dā搭
pèi配
zhù注
dìng定
bú不
huì会
chéng成
gōng功
。
This kind of mismatched pairing is destined to fail.
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Tā他
de的
xiǎng想
fǎ法
yǔ与
gōng公
sī司
de的
chuán传
tǒng统
yuán圆
záo凿
fāng方
ruì枘
，
suǒ所
yǐ以
hěn很
nán难
tuī推
xíng行
。
His ideas are incompatible with the company's traditions, so they are difficult to implement.