捡了芝麻丢了西瓜 in English jian3 le5 zhi1 ma5 diu1 le5 xi1 gua1 Meaning

Meanings

  • to let go of the big prize while grabbing at trifles (idiomatic expression)

Simplified Characters

捡 了 芝 麻 丢 了 西 瓜

Traditional Characters

撿 了 芝 麻 丟 了 西 瓜

Pinyin

jian3 le5 zhi1 ma5 diu1 le5 xi1 gua1

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

捡jian3to pick up 了le5(completed action marker) 芝zhi1Zoysia pungens 麻ma2variant of 麻[ma2] 丢diu1to lose 了le5(completed action marker) 西xi1the West 瓜gua1melon