to give something valuable to someone who does not understand that value: to cast pearls before swine
eş: 犬に小判, 豚に真珠, 対牛弾琴
köken: Phrase composed of 猫 (neko, “cat, cats”) + に (ni, “to”, directional particle) + 小判 (koban, a kind of traditional gold coin). Literally, “gold coins to cats”. First cited to a text from 1687.
köken: ไก่ (gài, “chicken”) + ได้ (dâai, “to get; to obtain”) + พลอย (plɔɔi, “gem”). Original concept from one of Aesop's Fables: The Cock and the Jewel.