📖 Meaning
A grand strategy or elaborate plan that ends up being applied only to a trivial matter, failing to realize its full potential. It expresses regret that a clever scheme was squandered on something insignificant rather than the major undertaking it was designed for.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from Chapter 97 of the Ming dynasty novel 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' by Luo Guanzhong. After a northern expedition campaign, Zhuge Liang (Kongming) rewarded his general Jiang Wei for his efforts. Jiang Wei, burning with frustration, declared he wished he could have killed the enemy commander Cao Zhen. Zhuge Liang sighed in sympathy and remarked, 'What a pity — a grand strategy used only for a small purpose.' The phrase captures the regret of seeing a brilliant plan yield only a minor result.
💡 Example Usage
这个精心设计的营销方案最后只用来发了几条微博，真是大计小用。
This meticulously designed marketing plan ended up being used only for posting a few Weibo updates — truly a grand strategy squandered on a small task.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 大计小用
- Pinyin: dà jì xiǎo yòng
- Literal Translation: big, plan, small, use
- Category: Method
- Characters: 4