Neil: Hi, and welcome to BBC Learning English. I’m Neil.

Yang Li: 大家好，我是杨莉。

Neil: In this Real English programme we'll be looking at an English idiom.

Yang Li: 还有对应的汉语成语。

Neil: Today's English idiom is: It's like talking to a brick wall!

Yang Li: 什么意思呢？

Neil: Well this idiom is used to say that something is totally pointless and that you are not achieving anything.

Yang Li: 这就是说，白费功夫，没有结果，因此是徒劳的努力。

Neil: It's like talking to a brick wall!

Yang Li: 字面意思是对着石墙说话。

Neil: Do you have an equivalent idiom in Chinese?

Yang Li: I think so. 汉语中我们说，对牛弹琴。

Neil: Let's hear some examples of people using this idiom in conversation.

Example

A: I've tried to tell him not to work so hard, but it's like talking to a brick wall.

B: I've been trying to get a refund¹ from that company for months, but it's like talking to a brick wall.

Yang Li: 第一个人听起来好像是妻子在抱怨丈夫，告诉他不要那么拼命地干，可是他丈夫就是不听。

Neil: It's like talking to a brick wall.

Yang Li: 第二个人好像是抱怨他一直在追一项什么退款，可是这个公司始终就不理睬。

Neil: It's like talking to a brick wall. This idiom is usually used when talking about communication of some sort which isn't working.

Yang Li: 同某人交流，但是对方根本不明白你的意思。

Neil: So to recap the English idiom is: It's like talking to a brick wall.

Yang Li: 汉语中我们说，这是对牛弹琴。

Neil: Well, I hope you've enjoyed our programme.

Yang Li: 下次节目还有更多成语，千万不要错过收听，我们下次节目再会。

Neil: Goodbye!