[ yǐzhūtánquè, yǐzhūtánqiào ] make big investment for small returns; employ pearls to strike birds; get sth. at too dear a cost; give much to get little; shoot sparrows [a bird] with pearls; the game is not worth the candle
随珠弹雀: kill a bird with a precious pearl -- gain a trifle at great cost; pay too dear for one's whistle; shoot birds with pearls -- gains cannot offset losses
