Are there English figurative expressions equivalent to Japanese idiom 馬耳東風 meaning a person who doesn’t listen to other’s advice?

Question

North wind tells the arrival of spring season in Japan. And incidentally, we have an idiom, “馬耳東風,” of which literal translation is ‘the east wind to the ears of horse,’ meaning a person who doesn’t listen to, or respect other’s opinion, advice, and suggestion like a horse is insensitive to the meaning and tastefulness of east wind. For example, we say “His boss’s admonition was just an east wind to Taro. And he was fired.”

I don’t know why it should be east wind, not west, south or north wind, but Chines have the same saying, “东风吹马耳.”

The structure of “East wind to a horse” resembles “Pearls to a swine,” but is pretty different in meaning.

Are there similar figurative expressions to describe a person who has deaf ears to others' advice and opinion, like an obstinate or insensitive horse?

Answer 1

We do have an expression, "in one ear and out the other"

His boss's admonition went in one ear and out the other and he was fired.

One could also say, "His boss's admonition fell on deaf ears.

Answer 2

If you just look up the English translation here, you get

utter indifference; talking to the wall; praying to deaf ears

In the US, I don't hear "praying to deaf ears" as a common expression, though "fell on deaf ears", as mentioned in another answer is. The second phrase, or a slight variant---"talking to a wall"---is also very common in the US. For example,

I tried to tell him how unhealthy that was, but it was like talking to a wall.

Edit: As pointed out in the comments, talking to a brick wall is a stronger expression (and is also very common).

Answer 3

Continuing with the horse motif:

You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink it.

That is, you can lecture someone but, your words may not have accomplish the desired effect.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms

Answer 4

Seed sown along the path is a reference to Jesus' parable of the sower:

When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. Matthew 13:19 NIV

In the more familiar KJV it was seed by the wayside:

When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. Matthew 13:19 KJV

His boss’s admonition was just seed sown along the path. And he was fired.

Answer 5

Jim's answer is perfect for a situation when someone is ignoring a particular opinion or piece of advice.

But if you're talking about someone who routinely ignores the advice/opinions of others, you might call them a maverick, or a lone wolf.

Answer 6

There is "You can't tell that guy anything. He marches to his own drummer".

or

"Giving him advice is like teaching French to a pig. You waste your time and annoy the pig".

Answer 7

A person who doesn’t listen to, or respect other’s opinion, advice, and suggestion is a know-it-all:

n. someone who gives the impression of knowing everything.

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

Or also possibly strong-headed, arrogant and stubborn.

Answer 8

In a similar vein, Jesus is quoted as saying, on numerous occasions,

Whoever has ears, let them hear."— Matthew 13:9

I would suppose that most of the people Jesus was addressing not only had ears, but had ears that worked. So the fact that Jesus felt it necessary to, repeatedly, encourage his audience to “listen-up!” would seem to indicate that his exhortations were aimed at people who had a tendency to pay no heed to what they heard.

Answer 9

Perhaps, and I'm inventing, in part: "[playing/being] a Trojan to one's Cassandra." See Cassandra.

Now, in terms of English idioms, "have blinders on," touches on what you want, too.

Answer 10

It's just come to me while I was trying to be helpful to someone. It was clear the person had already made their mind up, and wouldn't listen to any advice that either contradicted or challenged their opinion.

Sometimes it's a question of pride, low self-esteem or just sheer bloody mindedness! :-)

There's none so deaf as those who will not hear

Proverb. If you tell someone something that he or she does not want to know, he or she will not pay attention to you.
There's none so deaf as those who will not hear proverbial saying, mid 16th century, used to refer to someone who chooses not to listen to unwelcome information.

The proverb was first recorded in 1564, with different wording "Who is so deaf, or so blind, as he that willfully will neither hear nor see" but a French equivalent was in use 200 years earlier.

^{Sources: The Free Dictionary; Encyclopedia.com; The Facts on File Dictionary of Proverbs By Martin H. Manser}