猫項懸鈴(묘항현령)

TOM and JERRY

고양이의 목에 방울을 달다.
고양이가 다가오는 낌새를 미리 알아채기 위하여 쥐가 고양이의 목에 방울을 매달려고 하다.
실행할 수 없는 공론을 가리킨다.
"고양이 목에 방울 달기"라고 하는 속담이 있고, 실행할 수 없는 헛 공론만 쓸데없이 한다는 의미이다.
猫頭縣鈴(묘두현령)이라고도 한다.
중국에서는 猫頸系鈴(묘경계령), 給猫系鈴鐺(급묘계영당)이라고 하고, 이솝우화에서 유래한다.
Belling the cat.
hang a bell about the cat’s neck 

[寓話]
有一天，一群老鼠聚在一起，商讨如何才能摆脱它们的敌人——猫。至少，它们希望能够想出什么高招，好在猫来的时候让它们有时间逃跑。讲真，它们确实要做点儿什么才行，因为那只猫的爪子总是令它们心惊胆颤，无论白天还是黑夜，它们几乎都不敢出门。
它们讨论了好多种方法，可没有一个办法行得通。最后，一只又白又嫩的小老鼠起身说道： "我有一个主意，尽管看起来简单，但我知道一定能成。我们只需要在那只猫的脖子上系上一个了铃铛就可以了。铃声一响，我们立马就能知道，那可怕的敌人就要来了。"
老鼠们都为这个好办法拍手叫好。可就在它们沉浸在大好日子就要来到的美梦中的时候，一只上了岁数的老鼠站起来说： "我想说的是，小老鼠的办法的确很好。但是我有个问题：谁去给这只猫系铃铛呢？"
[우화]
유일천，일군노서취재일기，상토여하재능파탈타문적적인——묘。지소，타문희망능구상출십요고초，호재묘래적시후양타문유시간도포。강진，타문학실요주점인십요재행，인위나지묘적조자총시령타문심량단전，무론백천환시흑야，타문궤호도불감출문。
타문토론료호다충방법，가몰유일개판법행득통。최후，일지우백우눈적소노서기신설도： "아유일개주의，진관간기래간단，단아지도일정능성。아문지수요재나지묘적발자상계상일개료령당취가이료。영성일향，아문립마취능지도，나가파적적인취요래료。"
노서문도위저개호판법박수규호。가취재타문침침재대호일자취요래도적미몽중적시후，일지상료세수적노서참기래설： "아상설적시，소노서적판법적학흔호。단시아유개문제：수거급저지묘계령당니？"
The Mice once called a meeting to decide on a plan to free themselves of their enemy, the Cat. At least they wished to find some way of knowing when she was coming, so they might have time to run away. Indeed, something had to be done, for they lived in such constant fear of her claws that they hardly dared stirfrom their dens by night or day.
Many plans were discussed, but none of them was thought good enough. At last a very young Mouse got up and said: "I have a plan that seems very simple, but I know it will be successful. All we have to do is to hang a bell about the Cat's neck. When we hear the bell ringing we will know immediately that our enemy is coming."
All the Mice were much surprised that they had not thought of such a plan before. But in the midst of the rejoicingover their good fortune, an old Mouse arose and said: "I will say that the plan of the young Mouse is very good. But let me ask one question: Who will bell the Cat?"