# Help me with this idiom, please! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 7, 2017, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-this-idiom-please/786080 "2017-05-07T19:02:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-this-idiom-please/786080/1 "2017-05-07T19:02:22Z")
From an article I’m translating from Russian (which is a translation from Chinese). The reference is to Western economists: _If we use their research methods and rely on concepts and conclusions obtained as a result of their studies, and apply them to studying the Chinese economy, a situation will arise where, if I may exaggerate somewhat, our findings will differ radically from theirs, **just as the mouth of a horse does not fit the head of a cow.** _ That is a literal translation. I’m thinking there HAS TO BE an English expression for such a mismatch, but damned if I can come up with one! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-this-idiom-please/786080/2 "2017-05-07T19:23:00Z")
“Square peg in a round hole” would seem to be the most conventional way to put it. “Like hats on feet or shoes on the head”? “Like oranges from an apple tree”? ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-this-idiom-please/786080/3 "2017-05-07T19:37:05Z")
Something to do with using the wrong tools–research tools in actuality, but maybe for the simile: [ul] [li]_like trying to build a house with knitting needles_[/li] [li]_like trying to repair a car with shovels and rakes_[/li] [li]_like trying to map the heavens with microscopes and magnifying glasses_[/li][/ul] …Not that any of these are customary maxims; just plain old similes. But they would get across the idea of trying to do research with inappropriate techniques. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-this-idiom-please/786080/4 "2017-05-07T19:49:14Z")
Like putting two pounds of shot in a one-pound cannon. Like putting water in a gas tank. Like putting two pounds of bologna in a one pound bag. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-this-idiom-please/786080/5 "2017-05-07T20:49:40Z")
Thanks for the suggestions. Square pegs would seem to be the most conventional; I’ll give it a try. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-this-idiom-please/786080/6 "2017-05-07T20:55:08Z")
If there are any Mandarin speakers out there (I’m assuming the original learned text was in Mandarin), is “horse’s mouth/cow’s head” a common idiom in that language? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-this-idiom-please/786080/7 "2017-05-07T21:06:05Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > . . . (which is a translation from Chinese). . . . > ( the chinese say:A donkey’s lips. A horse’s mouth. These two simply don’t fit each other. > **[A donkey’s lips on a horse’s mouth: 驴唇不对马嘴](https://musingsatypical.wordpress.com/2012/10/30/a-donkeys-lips-on-a-horses-mouth/)** > > A donkey’s lips. A horse’s mouth. These two simply don’t fit each other. 驴唇不对马嘴 \[lǘ chún bù duì mǎ zuǐ\] (驴: donkey; 唇: lips; 不: no, not; 对: to match; 马: horse; 嘴: mouth) is a literal description of… ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-this-idiom-please/786080/8 "2017-05-08T00:20:00Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > the chinese say:A donkey’s lips. A horse’s mouth. These two simply don’t fit each other. > [A donkey’s lips on a horse’s mouth: 驴唇不对马嘴 | Musings of Atypical Chinaman](https://musingsatypical.wordpress.com/2012/10/30/a-donkeys-lips-on-a-horses-mouth/) Very interesting. I wonder if “cow” wasn’t a mistranslation by the Russian author. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-this-idiom-please/786080/9 "2017-05-08T00:21:40Z")
Well, a donkey and a horse don’t need to _kiss_ to make a mule… ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-this-idiom-please/786080/10 "2017-05-08T01:38:21Z")
If frog had wings, he would not bump ass while attempting flight. NOW EVERYONE DRINK! ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-with-this-idiom-please/786080/11 "2017-05-08T02:03:45Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > “Like oranges from an apple tree”? Or _comparing apples and oranges_.