驢唇馬嘴 / 驴唇马嘴
lǘ chún mǎ zuǐ
"donkey lip horse mouth"
This saying means a misfit / mismatch (to the norm / standard / logic / reasoning, to what's expected / asked for): a donkey's lips will not fit a horse's mouth
(from googling)
(traditional character version)
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比喻答非所問、兩不相合、互不連貫或前後矛盾，常用於批評說話或做事不合邏輯、不著邊際。它常用來形容人說的話或者做的舉動非常荒謬。
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(simplified character version)
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比喻答非所问、两不相合、互不连贯或前后矛盾，常用于批评说话或做事不合逻辑、不着边际。它常用来形容人说的话或者做的举动非常荒谬。
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(google translate)
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This metaphor describes an answer that is irrelevant, contradictory, incoherent, or self-contradictory. It is often used to criticize speech or actions that are illogical or irrelevant. It is frequently used to describe someone's words or actions as utterly absurd.
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When I first came across this saying, my immediate interpretation was that it's a description of an ugly person -- having a donkey's lips and a horse's mouth. I was quite disappointed to find that I was wrong.
Then, only a few weeks ago, when I trotted it out to my Tuesday group students and asked them for their interpretation, one of them said she thought it was about someone extremely ugly! A kindred spirit in perverse humour!
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