Thread: Idioms Around The World

An Enchanting Tour Through A World Of Idioms : NPR

^ Good report about idioms around the world and a look at a new book about the same:




To get one's eyes stolen: to be dazzled (Japanese)

To throw face: to make a good impression (Spanish, El Salvador)

What a bonbon and me with diabetes: a street compliment (Spanish, Latin America)

What curves and me without brakes: a street compliment (Spanish, Latin America)

Biscuit: hot, sexy, attractive (Spanish, Mexico)

To set the dogs on someone: to flirt (Spanish, Latin America)

Having the waist of an elegant lion: an attractive woman (Hindi)

Like hibiscus rising out of water: grace of a woman (Chinese)

To give the package: to stand someone up (Italian)

To lay a rabbit: to stand someone up (French)

The space below a nose is long: to be lewd toward women (Japanese)

To have fast hands: to be a womanizer (Japanese)

Having seven husbands: loose woman (Hindi)

Unable to stop being the owl: can't stop flirting (Italian)

An apron hunter: a womanizer (German)

Have one's atoms hooked together: really hit it off (French)

Buckle polish: slow dance (Spanish, Venezuela)

Wiggle your bucket: dance (Spanish, Mexico)

Swallowed like a postman's sock: hopelessly in love (Spanish, Colombia)

To have eaten a monkey: to be nuts about (German)

To solidify one's body: to get married (Japanese)

To distribute cardamoms: to invite to a marriage (Hindi)

Matricide: marriage (Spanish, Costa Rica)

To hang oneself: to get married (Spanish, Mexico)

Handcuffs: the wife (Spanish, Latin America)

etc.


Good sketches of a bunch of the idioms on that link...




What are your favorite idioms?

Nice one Matthew; idioms were one of the hardest things for my students and Thai teachers to understand. I spent hours explaining them and printed out many pages of examples. Thais have great idioms also, just like we do in the west and I really enjoyed sharing east versus west examples of idioms. I think idioms are the heart of a culture.

Nice one.
I like the Thai one: at low tide ants eat fish; at high tide fish eat ants (every dog has his day).