expression

Idiomatic expression.
  1. temptation one can't resist, setting a wolf to mind the sheep, trusting a cat with milk.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
 
猫に鰹節 ねこにかつおぶし
 
 
 
 
 
 
猫にカツオブシ ねこにかつおぶし
 
 
 
 
 
 
猫にかつおぶし ねこにかつおぶし
 
 
 
 
猫にかつお節 ねこにかつおぶし
 
 
 
ネコに鰹節 ねこにかつおぶし

Contained Kanji Breakdown

cat
ねこ ビョウ (Early High School, N3)
dog, (犬 variant)
seedling, sapling, shoot
なえ ミョウ ビョウ (Late Jr. High, N1)
grass, grass radical (no. 140)
rice field, rice paddy
た デン たん (1st, N4)
bonito
かつお ケン (Kentei Pre-1)
fish
さかな ギョ うお (2nd, N4)
knife, wrapping enclosure(勹) variant
rice field, rice paddy
た デン たん (1st, N4)
fire, fire radical (no. 86)
ヒョウ カ
strict, hard, solid
ケン かた.い きん (Early Jr. High, N1)
hard, wise
カン ケン コウ
retainer, subject
シン とみ おみ (4th, N2)
or again, furthermore, on the other hand
また ユウ やす (Late Jr. High, N1)
soil, earth, ground
ド つち は (1st, N5)
node, season, period
セツ ふし セチ (4th, N1)
bamboo
たけ チク たか (1st, N2)
individual, (個 variant)
knife, wrapping enclosure(勹) variant
feathered stick, barb radical (no. 6)
ケツ かぎ (Kentei 1)
instant, namely, as is
ソク すなわ.ち つ.く (Early Jr. High, N1)
northeast (Oriental zodiac), stopping, good radical (no. 138)
うしとら コン (Kentei Pre-1)
day, sun, Japan
ひ ニチ にっ (1st, N5)
garment, clothes, dressing
イ ころも きぬ (4th, N2)
kettle lid radical (no. 8)
トウ (Kentei 1)
garment, (衣 variant)
seal radical (no. 26)
セツ わりふ (Kentei 1)