ขี่ช้างจับตั๊กแตน

Use a sledgehammer to crack a nut

ขี่ช้าง
ขี่
kèe ช้าง
cháang จับ
jàp ตั๊กแตน
dták-gà-dtaen

Vocabulary

kèe = ride

cháang = an elephant

jàp = catch

dták-gà-dtaen = a grasshopper

Literal Meaning

Ride an elephant to catch a grasshopper

English Proverb

Use a sledgehammer to crack a nut

Explanation

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An elephant is a large animal and a grasshopper a tiny insect. It would be ridiculous, therefore, to try to catch it from an elephant’s back. The elephant is too big and clumsy. It is just as likely to tread on the cricket as chase it, you would not be able to reach down to catch the insect, if you could see it. This proverb means using a tool or approach that is too big or intensive for the task in hand.

 

Example

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สมชายกังวลเรื่องร้านอาหารของเขา เขาลงทุนไปเยอะแต่ได้กำไรน้อย ขี่ช้างจับตั๊กแตนจริงๆ

Somchai gang-won rêuang ráan aa-hăan kŏng kăo kăo long tun bpai yúh dtàe dâai gam-rai nói  kèe cháang  jàp   dták-gà-dtaen jing jing

Somchai is worried about his restaurant. He invests in big budget, but a little profit is returned. I am taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut.