Difference between revisions of "Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Similar-Sayings"

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|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|好事多磨
|好事多磨／好事多磨
|good things require much rubbing
|good things require much rubbing
|-
|-
Line 1,011: Line 1,011:
|}
|}


== Complete surprise ==
== Circumstances of others seem better ==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!language
Line 1,017: Line 1,017:
!literal meaning
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Bulgarian
|Arabic
|като гръм от ясно небе
|طبيخ الجارة نوارة، وطبيخ أهل الدار مرار
|like a bolt from the clear sky
|Nawara's neighbor's cooking, and the people of the house's cooking are bitter
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Bengali
|晴天霹靂／晴天霹雳
|ঘাস অন্য দিকে সবসময় সবুজ
|bolt from the clear sky
|the grass is always greener on the other side
|-
|-
|Croatian
|Catalan
|bolje vrabac u ruci nego golub na grani
|l'herba sempre és més verda a l'altra banda
|better a sparrow in the hand than a dove on the branch
|the grass is always greener on the other side
|-
|-
|Czech
|Chinese
|blesk z čistého nebe
|外國的月亮比較圓／外国的月亮比较圆
|bolt from the clear sky
|the moon in foreign countries is rounder
|-
|-
|Danish
|Danish
|som et lyn fra en klar himmel
|græsset er altid grønnere på den anden side af hækken
|like a bolt out of the clear sky
|the grass is always greener on the other side of the hedges
|-
|Dutch
|het gras is altijd groener aan de overkant
|the grass is always greener on the other side
|-
|-
|English
|Esperanto
|boolt from the blue
|herbaro ĉiam aspektas pli verda trans barilo
|boolt from the blue
|the grass always look greener on the other side of a fence
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Finnish
|salama kirkkaalta taivaalta
|ruoho on aina vihreämpää aidan toisella puolella
|lightning bolt out of a clear sky
|The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
|-
|French
|l’herbe est toujours plus verte ailleurs
|the grass is always greener on the other side
|-
|Galician
|a vaca da veciña dá máis leite cá miña
|the neighbor's cow gives more milk than mine
|-
|-
|German
|German
|Blitz aus heiterem Himmel
|die Kirschen aus Nachbars Garten schmecken immer besser
|lightning bolt from the clear sky
|the cherries from the neighbor's garden always taste better
|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Hebrew
|<div style="text-align:right">טכרעם ביום בהיר</div>
|<div style="text-align:Yright">הדשא של השכן ירק יותר</div>
|like thunder on a clear day
|the neighbor's grass is greener
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Hindi
|derült égből villámcsapás
|दूर के ढोल सुहावने
|thunderbolt from the clear sky
|things owned by other people look good
|-
|Hindi
|दूर के ढोल सुहावने लगते हैं
|distant drums sound pleasant
|-
|Hindi
|दूसरे की थाली में घी अधिक दिखाई देता है
|ghee appears to be more in someone else’s plate
|-
|-
|Icelandic
|Hungarian
|eins og þruma úr heiðskíru lofti
|a szomszéd rétje mindig zöldebb
|like a thunder from the clear sky
|the neighbour's meadow is always greener
|-
|-
|Indonesian
|Indonesian
|petir di siang bolong
|rumput tetangga selalu terlihat lebih hijau
|lightning in broad daylight
|the grass always looks greener on the other side
|-
|Irish
|is glas na cnoic a bhfad uainn
|green are the hills that are far from us
|-
|Italian
|l'erba del vicino è sempre più verde
|the neighbor's grass is always greener
|-
|Japanese
|隣の芝生は青い
|the neighbor's lawn is green
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Japanese
|青天の霹靂
|隣の花は赤い
|thunderbolt on the blue sky
|the neighbor's flowers are red
|-
|-
|Korean
|Korean
|청천 벽력과 같이
|남의 떡이 더 커 보인다
|like a thunderstorm
|the other person's rice cake seems bigger
|-
|Kurdish
|dengê defe ji dûr ve xweş e
|the sound of the drum is pleasant from a distance
|-
|Malay
|hujan emas di negeri orang, hujan batu di negeri sendiri
|golden rain in other countries, stone rain in one's own country
|-
|-
|Latvian
|Malayalam
|kā pērkons no skaidrām debesīm
|അക്കരെ നിന്നാൽ ഇക്കരെ പച്ച
|like a thunder from the clear sky
|if you stand on the other shore, this side is greener
|-
|-
|Lithuanian
|Marathi
|lyg perkūnas iš giedro dangaus
|दुरून डोंगर साजरे
|like a thunder from the clear sky
|appreciate the mountains from afar
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Modern Greek
|κεραυνός εν αιθρία
|του γείτονα είναι πάντα καλύτερο
|lightning in the clear sky
|the neighbor's is always better
|-
|-
|Norwegian Bokmål
|Norwegian Bokmål
|som lyn fra klar himmel
|gresset er alltid grønnere på den andre siden
|like lightning from the clear sky
|the grass is always greener on the other side
|-
|Norwegian Nynorsk
|graset er alltid grønare på den andre sida
|the grass is always greener on the other side
|-
|-
|Polish
|Polish
|grom z jasnego nieba
|wszędzie dobrze, gdzie nas nie ma
|thunderbolt from the clear sky
|it is good everywhere where we are not
|-
|Portuguese
|a grama do vizinho é sempre mais verde
|the neighbor's grass is always greener
|-
|Russian
|соседняя очередь всегда движется быстрее
|the other queue always moves faster
|-
|Russian
|там хорошо, где нас нет
|it is good everywhere where we are not
|-
|-
|Russian
|Russian
|гром среди ясного неба
|в чужих руках толще
|thunder from a clear sky
|thicker in other people's hands
|-
|-
|Scottish Gaelic
|Scottish Gaelic
|clach às an adhar
|'s e miann na lacha an loch air nach bi i
|stone from the clear sky
|the duck's desire is the lake it is not on
|-
|-
|Serbo-Croatian
|Scottish Gaelic
|као гром из ведра неба / kao grom iz vedra neba
|tha iteagan bòidheach air na h-eòin a tha fad às
|like a thunder from the bucket of heaven
|the birds that are far away have beautiful feathers
|-
|-
|Slovak
|Scottish Gaelic
|lepší vrabec v hrsti ako holub na streche
|is gorm na cnuic a tha fada bhuainn
|better a sparrow in a handful than a pigeon on a roof
|green are the hills that are far from us
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Spanish
|como rayo caído del cielo
|la hierba siempre es más verde del otro lado
|like a lightning fallen from the sky
|the grass is always greener on the other side
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Swedish
|som en blixt från klar himmel
|gräset är alltid grönare på andra sidan
|like a lightning bolt out of a clear sky
|the grass is always greener on the other side
|-
|Telugu
|దూరపు కొండలు నునుపు
|the far off mountains appear to be smooth
|-
|Turkish
|davulun sesi uzaktan hoş gelir
|the distant drum sounds pleasant
|-
|Ukrainian
|добре там, де нас нема
|it is better there, where we are not
|-
|Ukrainian
|у сусі́да хата білі́ша
|the neighbor's house is whiter
|-
|Yue Chinese
|隔籬飯香／隔篱饭香
|the meal of the neighbors smells better
|}
|}


== Destroy one's paths, connections or opportunities ==
== Complete surprise ==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!language
Line 1,124: Line 1,200:
!literal meaning
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Arabic
|Bulgarian
|<div style="text-align:right">حرق السفن</div>
|като гръм от ясно небе
|burning the ship
|like a bolt from the clear sky
|-
|Arabic
|<div style="text-align:right">قطع الجسور</div>
|cutting the bridge
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|過河拆橋／过河拆桥
|晴天霹靂／晴天霹雳
|cross the river, tear down the bridge
|bolt from the clear sky
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Croatian
|破釜沉舟／破釜沉舟
|bolje vrabac u ruci nego golub na grani
|smash the cooking pots and sink the boats
|better a sparrow in the hand than a dove on the branch
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Czech
|je schepen achter je verbranden
|blesk z čistého nebe
|burning your ships behind you
|bolt from the clear sky
|-
|-
|Danish
|Danish
|bryde alle broer
|som et lyn fra en klar himmel
|burn all bridges
|like a bolt out of the clear sky
|-
|Danish
|brænde alle broer
|break all bridges
|-
|-
|English
|English
|burning one's bridges
|boolt from the blue
|burning one's bridges
|boolt from the blue
|-
|-
|French
|Finnish
|brûler les ponts
|salama kirkkaalta taivaalta
|burn the bridges
|lightning bolt out of a clear sky
|-
|-
|French
|German
|brûler ses vaisseaux
|Blitz aus heiterem Himmel
|burn his ships
|lightning bolt from the clear sky
|-
|-
|French
|Hebrew
|faire sauter les ponts
|<div style="text-align:right">טכרעם ביום בהיר</div>
|blow up the bridges
|like thunder on a clear day
|-
|-
|German
|Hungarian
|alle Brücken hinter sich abbrechen
|derült égből villámcsapás
|burning all bridges behind oneself
|thunderbolt from the clear sky
|-
|-
|Icelandic
|Icelandic
|brenna allar brýr að baki sér
|eins og þruma úr heiðskíru lofti
|burn all bridges behind oneself
|like a thunder from the clear sky
|-
|-
|Icelandic
|Indonesian
|brjóta allar brýr að baki sér
|petir di siang bolong
|break all bridges behind oneself
|lightning in broad daylight
|-
|Japanese
|青天の霹靂
|thunderbolt on the blue sky
|-
|Korean
|청천 벽력과 같이
|like a thunderstorm
|-
|Latvian
|kā pērkons no skaidrām debesīm
|like a thunder from the clear sky
|-
|-
|Italian
|Lithuanian
|bruciarsi i ponti alle spalle
|lyg perkūnas iš giedro dangaus
|burn the bridges behind
|like a thunder from the clear sky
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Modern Greek
|Η αναπνοή είναι η γέφυρα που συνδέει τη ζωή με τη συνείδηση
|κεραυνός εν αιθρία
|Breathing is the bridge which unites life to consciousness
|lightning in the clear sky
|-
|-
|Norwegian Bokmål
|Norwegian Bokmål
|bryte alle broer
|som lyn fra klar himmel
|burn all bridges
|like lightning from the clear sky
|-
|Norwegian Nynorsk
|bryte alle bruer
|burn all bridges
|-
|-
|Polish
|Polish
|palić za sobą mosty
|grom z jasnego nieba
|burn the bridges behind
|thunderbolt from the clear sky
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Russian
|queimar as pontes
|гром среди ясного неба
|burn the bridges
|thunder from a clear sky
|-
|Scottish Gaelic
|clach às an adhar
|stone from the clear sky
|-
|-
|Russian
|Serbo-Croatian
|сжигать все мосты
|као гром из ведра неба / kao grom iz vedra neba
|burn the bridges
|like a thunder from the bucket of heaven
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Slovak
|quemar las naves
|lepší vrabec v hrsti ako holub na streche
|burn the ships
|better a sparrow in a handful than a pigeon on a roof
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Spanish
|quemar los puentes
|como rayo caído del cielo
|burn the bridges
|like a lightning fallen from the sky
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Swedish
|bränna sina broar
|som en blixt från klar himmel
|burn the bridges
|like a lightning bolt out of a clear sky
|-
|Swedish
|bränna sina skepp
|burn their ships
|}
|}


== Difficult task has a start ==
== Destroy one's paths, connections or opportunities ==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!language
Line 1,232: Line 1,308:
|-
|-
|Arabic
|Arabic
|<div style="text-align:right">رحلة الألف ميل تبدأ بخطوة واحدة</div>
|<div style="text-align:right">حرق السفن</div>
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|burning the ship
|-
|Arabic
|<div style="text-align:right">قطع الجسور</div>
|cutting the bridge
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|千里之行，始於足下／千里之行，始于足下
|過河拆橋／过河拆桥
|a journey of a thousand lǐ (1000×405 meters) begins with a single step
|cross the river, tear down the bridge
|-
|-
|Czech
|Chinese
|cesta dlouhá tisíc mil začíná jedním krokem
|破釜沉舟／破釜沉舟
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|smash the cooking pots and sink the boats
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Dutch
|een reis van duizend mijlen begint met een enkele stap
|je schepen achter je verbranden
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|burning your ships behind you
|-
|-
|Esperanto
|Danish
|milmejla vojaĝo komenciĝas per unu paŝo
|bryde alle broer
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|burn all bridges
|-
|-
|Estonian
|Danish
|tuhande miiline rännak algab esimesest sammust
|brænde alle broer
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|break all bridges
|-
|-
|Finnish
|English
|pisinkin matka alkaa yhdellä askeleella
|burning one's bridges
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|burning one's bridges
|-
|French
|brûler les ponts
|burn the bridges
|-
|French
|brûler ses vaisseaux
|burn his ships
|-
|-
|French
|French
|un voyage de mille lieues commence toujours par un premier pas
|faire sauter les ponts
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|blow up the bridges
|-
|-
|German
|German
|eine Reise von tausend Meilen beginnt mit dem ersten Schritt
|alle Brücken hinter sich abbrechen
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|burning all bridges behind oneself
|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Icelandic
|<div style="text-align:right">גם מסע של אלף מייל מתחיל בצעד אחד קטן</div>
|brenna allar brýr að baki sér
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|burn all bridges behind oneself
|-
|-
|Hindi
|Icelandic
|हजार कोसों का सफर भी एक पैर उठाने से ही शुरू होता है
|brjóta allar brýr að baki sér
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|break all bridges behind oneself
|-
|Hungarian
|az ezer mérföldes utazás is egyetlen lépéssel kezdődik
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Italian
|Italian
|un viaggio di mille miglia comincia con il primo passo
|bruciarsi i ponti alle spalle
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|burn the bridges behind
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Modern Greek
|千里の道も一歩から
|Η αναπνοή είναι η γέφυρα που συνδέει τη ζωή με τη συνείδηση
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|Breathing is the bridge which unites life to consciousness
|-
|-
|Korean
|Norwegian Bokmål
|천 리 길도 한 걸음부터
|bryte alle broer
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|burn all bridges
|-
|-
|Lithuanian
|Norwegian Nynorsk
|tūkstančio mylių kelionė prasideda žengus vieną žingsnį
|bryte alle bruer
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|burn all bridges
|-
|Modern Greek
|ένα ταξίδι χιλίων μιλίων ξεκινά με ένα μόνο βήμα
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|Norwegian
|en vandring på tusen mil starter med ett enkelt skritt
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Polish
|Polish
|podróż tysiąca mil zaczyna się od jednego kroku
|palić za sobą mosty
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|burn the bridges behind
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Portuguese
|uma viagem de mil milhas começa com um único passo
|queimar as pontes
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|burn the bridges
|-
|Romanian
|o călătorie de o mie de mile începe cu un singur pas
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Russian
|Russian
|путь в ты́сячу вёрст начина́ется с пе́рвого ша́га
|сжигать все мосты
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|burn the bridges
|-
|-
|Serbo-Croatian
|Spanish
|далеко путованје починје првим кораком / daleko putovanje počinje prvim korakom
|quemar las naves
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|burn the ships
|-
|Slovenian
|potovanje daleč se začne s prvim korakom
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Spanish
|un viaje de mil millas comienza con un solo paso
|quemar los puentes
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|burn the bridges
|-
|-
|Tagalog
|Swedish
|ang mahabang paglalakbay ay nagsimula sa isang hakbang
|bränna sina broar
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|burn the bridges
|-
|-
|Thai
|Swedish
|หนทางไกลนับพันลี้เริ่มต้นจากก้าวแรก
|bränna sina skepp
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|burn their ships
|-
|Turkish
|binlerce kilometrelik yolculuk bile tek bir adımla başlar
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|Ukrainian
|шлях у ти́сячу миль почина́ється з одного́ кро́ку
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|Vietnamese
|hành trình ngàn dặm bắt đầu từ một bước đi
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|}
|}


== Do not invite suspicions ==
== Difficult task has a start ==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!language
!saying
!saying
!literal meaning
!literal meaning
|-
|Arabic
|<div style="text-align:right">رحلة الألف ميل تبدأ بخطوة واحدة</div>
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|瓜田不納履，李下不整冠／瓜田不纳履，李下不整冠
|千里之行，始於足下／千里之行，始于足下
|don't adjust the shoes in a melon field, don't organise the hat under a plum tree
|a journey of a thousand lǐ (1000×405 meters) begins with a single step
|-
|Czech
|cesta dlouhá tisíc mil začíná jedním krokem
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Dutch
|瓜田に履を納れず、李下に冠を正さず
|een reis van duizend mijlen begint met een enkele stap
|don't adjust the shoes in a melon field, don't organise the hat under a plum tree
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Korean
|Esperanto
|과전불납리, 이하부정관
|milmejla vojaĝo komenciĝas per unu paŝo
|don't adjust the shoes in a melon field, don't organise the hat under a plum tree
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|}
 
== False display of sorrow ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Arabic
|Estonian
|دموع التماسيح
|tuhande miiline rännak algab esimesest sammust
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Armenian
|Finnish
|կոկորդիլոսի արցունքներ
|pisinkin matka alkaa yhdellä askeleella
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Catalan
|French
|llàgrimes de cocodril
|un voyage de mille lieues commence toujours par un premier pas
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Chinese
|German
|貓哭耗子／猫哭耗子
|eine Reise von tausend Meilen beginnt mit dem ersten Schritt
|cat weeping for a mouse
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Hebrew
|鱷魚的眼淚／鳄鱼的眼泪
|<div style="text-align:right">גם מסע של אלף מייל מתחיל בצעד אחד קטן</div>
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Czech
|Hindi
|krokodýlí slzy
|हजार कोसों का सफर भी एक पैर उठाने से ही शुरू होता है
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Danish
|Hungarian
|krokodilletårer
|az ezer mérföldes utazás is egyetlen lépéssel kezdődik
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Italian
|krokodillentranen
|un viaggio di mille miglia comincia con il primo passo
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|English
|Japanese
|crocodile tears
|千里の道も一歩から
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Korean
|krokotiilinkyyneleet
|천 리 길도 한 걸음부터
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|French
|Lithuanian
|larmes de crocodile
|tūkstančio mylių kelionė prasideda žengus vieną žingsnį
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Galician
|Modern Greek
|bágoas de crocodilo
|ένα ταξίδι χιλίων μιλίων ξεκινά με ένα μόνο βήμα
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|German
|Norwegian
|Krokodilstränen
|en vandring på tusen mil starter med ett enkelt skritt
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Polish
|<div style="text-align:right">דמעות תנין‎</div>
|podróż tysiąca mil zaczyna się od jednego kroku
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Portuguese
|krokodilkönnyek
|uma viagem de mil milhas começa com um único passo
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Icelandic
|Romanian
|krókódílstár
|o călătorie de o mie de mile începe cu un singur pas
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Indonesian
|Russian
|air mata buaya
|путь в ты́сячу вёрст начина́ется с пе́рвого ша́га
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Iranian Persian
|Serbo-Croatian
|<div style="text-align:right">اشک تمساح‎‎</div>
|далеко путованје починје првим кораком / daleko putovanje počinje prvim korakom
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Italian
|Slovenian
|lacrime di coccodrillo
|potovanje daleč se začne s prvim korakom
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Korean
|Spanish
|악어의 눈물
|un viaje de mil millas comienza con un solo paso
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Lithuanian
|Tagalog
|krokodilo ašaros
|ang mahabang paglalakbay ay nagsimula sa isang hakbang
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Malayalam
|Thai
|മുതലക്കണ്ണീർ
|หนทางไกลนับพันลี้เริ่มต้นจากก้าวแรก
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Turkish
|κροκοδείλια δάκρυα
|binlerce kilometrelik yolculuk bile tek bir adımla başlar
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Norwegian
|Ukrainian
|krokodilletårer
|шлях у ти́сячу миль почина́ється з одного́ кро́ку
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|-
|-
|Polish
|Vietnamese
|krokodyle łzy
|hành trình ngàn dặm bắt đầu từ một bước đi
|crocodile tears
|a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
|}
 
== Do not invite suspicions ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Chinese
|lágrimas de crocodilo
|瓜田不納履，李下不整冠／瓜田不纳履，李下不整冠
|crocodile tears
|don't adjust the shoes in a melon field, don't organise the hat under a plum tree
|-
|-
|Romansch
|Japanese
|larmas da crocodil
|瓜田に履を納れず、李下に冠を正さず
|crocodile tears
|don't adjust the shoes in a melon field, don't organise the hat under a plum tree
|-
|-
|Russian
|Korean
|крокодиловы слёзы
|과전불납리, 이하부정관
|don't adjust the shoes in a melon field, don't organise the hat under a plum tree
|}
 
== False display of sorrow ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|Arabic
|<div style="text-align:right">دموع التماسيح</div>
|crocodile tears
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Scottish Gaelic
|Armenian
|deòir nam breugan
|կոկորդիլոսի արցունքներ
|crocodile tears
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Catalan
|lágrimas de cocodrilo
|llàgrimes de cocodril
|crocodile tears
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Chinese
|krokodiltårar
|貓哭耗子／猫哭耗子
|cat weeping for a mouse
|-
|Chinese
|鱷魚的眼淚／鳄鱼的眼泪
|crocodile tears
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Telugu
|Czech
|మొసలి కన్నీళ్లు
|krokodýlí slzy
|crocodile tears
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Ukrainian
|Danish
|крокодилячі сльози
|krokodilletårer
|crocodile tears
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Welsh
|Dutch
|dagrau crocodeil
|krokodillentranen
|crocodile tears
|crocodile tears
|}
== Give one a little benefit and the one will demand more ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|Albanian
|jepja gishtin, të merr dorën
|I give you the finger, take your hand
|-
|Arabic
|<div style="text-align:right">فتحناله، دخل بحماره‎</div>
|we opened the door, he came in with his donkey
|-
|Chinese
|得寸進尺／得寸进尺
|get a cùn (~ 3 centemetres) and go for a chǐ (~ 30 centemetres)
|-
|Danish
|ræk nogen en lillefinger, og han tager hele armen
|give someone a little finger, they take the whole arm
|-
|-
|English
|English
|give them an inch and they'll take a mile
|crocodile tears
|give them an inch and they'll take a mile
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Finnish
|kun antaa pahalle pikkusormen, se vie koko käden
|krokotiilinkyyneleet
|when you give the evil a little finger, it takes the whole hand
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|French
|French
|tendez-leur la main et ils vous prennent le bras
|larmes de crocodile
|lend a hand and they take your arm
|crocodile tears
|-
|Galician
|bágoas de crocodilo
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|German
|German
|gib jemandem den kleinen Finger und er nimmt die ganze Hand
|Krokodilstränen
|give someone the little finger and he takes the whole hand
|crocodile tears
|-
|Modern Greek
|Δώσε θάρρος στο χωριάτη, να σ΄ανέβει στο κρεβάτι
|Give courage to the villager to hop on your bed!
|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Hebrew
|<div style="text-align:right">נותנים לו אצבע והוא רוצה את כל היד‎</div>
|<div style="text-align:right">דמעות תנין‎</div>
|he's given the little finger and he wants the whole hand
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Russian
|Hungarian
|дай ему палец, он всю руку откусит
|krokodilkönnyek
|give him a finger, he'll bite your whole hand off
|crocodile tears
|}
 
== Heavy rain ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Azerbaijani
|Icelandic
|tut ucundan, göyə çıx
|krókódílstár
|grab the ends, go to sky
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Catalan
|Indonesian
|ploure a bots i barrals
|air mata buaya
|rain bota bags and barrels
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Iranian Persian
|傾盆大雨／倾盆大雨
|<div style="text-align:right">اشک تمساح‎‎</div>
|pour from a basin
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Czech
|Italian
|lít jako z konve
|lacrime di coccodrillo
|pour from a water can
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Korean
|pijpenstelen regenen
|악어의 눈물
|rain pipe handles
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|English
|Lithuanian
|rain buckets
|krokodilo ašaros
|rain buckets
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|English
|Malayalam
|rain cats and dogs
|മുതലക്കണ്ണീർ
|rain cats and dogs
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Modern Greek
|sataa äkäisiä ämmiä äkeet selässä
|κροκοδείλια δάκρυα
|rain angry hags with harrows on their back
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Norwegian
|sataa kuin saavista kaataen
|krokodilletårer
|rain as if by pouring from a tub
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|French
|Polish
|pleuvoir comme vache qui pisse
|krokodyle łzy
|rain like a cow pissing on a flat rock
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|French
|Portuguese
|pleuvoir des cordes
|lágrimas de crocodilo
|rain ropes
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|French
|Romansch
|pleuvoir des hallebardes
|larmas da crocodil
|rain halberds
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|German
|Russian
|Bindfäden regnen
|крокодиловы слёзы
|rain threads
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|German
|Scottish Gaelic
|wie aus Eimern schütten
|deòir nam breugan
|like pouring out of buckets
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Spanish
|zuhog, mintha dézsából öntenék
|lágrimas de cocodrilo
|pour from a tub
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Icelandic
|Swedish
|rigna eldi og brennisteini
|krokodiltårar
|rain fire and brimstone
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Italian
|Telugu
|piovere a catinelle
|మొసలి కన్నీళ్లు
|rain buckets
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Italian
|Ukrainian
|piovere come Dio la manda
|крокодилячі сльози
|rain as God sends it
|crocodile tears
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Welsh
|土砂降りになる
|dagrau crocodeil
|become dropping dirt and sand
|crocodile tears
|}
 
== False display of sorrow ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Arabic
|βρέχει με το τουλούμι
|<div style="text-align:right">عندما تكون في روما، افعل ما يفعله الرومان</div>
|rain with the goatskin
|when in Rome, do as the Romans do
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Belarusian
|ρίχνει καντάρια
|в Рим като ри́мляните
|pour kantars
|in Rome like the Romans
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Catalan
|ρίχνει καρεκλοπόδαρα
|a terra que vas, usança que trobes
|it's raining cats and dogs
|in the land you go, the customs you find
|-
|-
|Norwegian Bokmål
|Chinese
|regne sinte kjerringer
|入鄉隨俗／入乡随俗
|rain mad hags
|when entering a town, follow the customs
|-
|-
|Polish
|Czech
|lać jak z cebra
|jiný kraj, jiný mrav
|pour like from a bucket
|other country, other customs
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Czech
|chover a cântaros
|kdo chce s vlky býti, musí s nimi výti
|rain buckets
|he who wants to be with wolves, must howl with them
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Danish
|chover a potes
|skik følge eller land fly
|rain pots
|observe custom or flee country
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Danish
|chover canivete
|man må hyle med de ulve man er iblandt
|rain pocketknives
|one must howl with the wolves among which one is
|-
|Dutch
|'s lands wijs, 's lands eer
|as the country does, so the country does
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|English
|o céu vir abaixo
|when in Rome, do as the Romans do
|the sky comes down
|when in Rome, do as the Romans do
|-
|-
|Romanian
|Esperanto
|ploua cu găleata
|alia lando, aliaj moroj
|rain with the bucket
|another country, other customs
|-
|-
|Russian
|Esperanto
|лить как из ведра
|en Romio, agu kiel Romiano
|pour like from a bucket
|in Rome, act like a Roman
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Esperanto
|llover a cántaros
|kies gasto mi estas, ties feston mi festas
|rain jugs
|whose guest I am, I celebrate his feast.
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Esperanto
|llover a mares
|inter lupoj, kriu lupe
|rain seas
|among wolves, cry wolf
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Faroese
|stå som spön i backen
|sær er siður á landi
|stand like rods in the ground
|to its own is the custom in a land
|-
|-
|Welsh
|Finnish
|bwrw hen wragedd â ffyn
|maassa maan tavalla
|[beating (raining)] old women with sticks
|the country's customs in the country
|-
|-
|Yue Chinese
|French
|落狗屎／落狗屎
|autre pays, autre coutume
|pouring dog poop
|another country, another custom
|}
|-
 
|French
== I don't understand the language ==
|à Rome, fais comme les Romains
{| class="wikitable"
|in Rome, do as the Romans
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Arabic
|Galician
|<div style="text-align:right">يتحدث باللغة الصينية</div>
|cada país seu uso, cada roca seu fuso
|speaking in Chinese
|each country its custom, each spinning distaff its spindle
|-
|-
|Armenian
|German
|դա ինձ համար չինարեն է
|andere Länder, andere Sitten
|it's Chinese to me
|other countries, other customs
|-
|-
|Chavacano
|German
|Aleman ese comigo
|man muss mit den Wölfen heulen
|it's German to me
|one has to howl with the wolves
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Hebrew
|鳥語／鸟语
|<div style="text-align:right">ברומא התנהג כרומאי‎</div>
|bird's speech
|In Rome, behave like a Roman
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Hindi
|天書／天书
|जैसा देश वैसा भेष
|writing from the heaven
|as the country is, same should be the manner
|-
|-
|Czech
|Hungarian
|to je pro mě španělská vesnice
|ha Rómában élsz, élj úgy, mint a rómaiak
|it's a Spanish village to me
|if you live in Rome, live like the Romans
|-
|-
|Danish
|Icelandic
|det er græsk for mig
|sinn er siður í landi hverju
|it is Greek to me
|its own is the custom in each land
|-
|Indonesian
|di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung
|where the feet touch the ground, there the sky held up
|-
|-
|Danish
|Irish
|en by i Rusland
|fág an tír nó bí san fhaisean
|a town in Russia
|leave the country or be fashionable
|-
|-
|Danish
|Italian
|rent volapyk
|paese che vai, usanze che trovi
|pure Volapük
|country you go, customs you find
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Italian
|dat is Chinees voor mij
|a Roma, fai come i romani
|this is Chinese to me
|in Rome, do as the Romans do
|-
|-
|English
|Japanese
|it's Greek to me
|郷に入っては郷に従え
|it's Greek to me
|when entering a town, follow the customs
|-
|-
|Esperanto
|Kabyle
|ĝi estas por mi volapukaĵo
|di Ṛṛuma, dder am iṛumaniyen
|it is Volapük to me
|in Rome, live like the Romans
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Kabyle
|se on minulle täyttä hepreaa
|di tmura nniḍen dder am aken ttidiren
|it is totally Hebrew to me
|in other countries live as they do
|-
|-
|French
|Korean
|c'est de l'hébreu
|입향순속
|it's Hebrew
|when entering a town, follow the customs
|-
|-
|French
|Korean
|c'est du chinois
|로마에 가면 로마법을 따르라
|it's Chinese
|when in Rome, do as the Romans do
|-
|-
|French
|Korean
|c'est du javanais
|고을에 들어가면 고을 풍속을 따르라
|it's Javanese
|when you enter a town, follow the town's customs
|-
|-
|French
|Latin
|c'est du russe
|si fueris Rōmae, Rōmānō vīvitō mōre; si fueris alibī, vīvitō sīcut ibī
|it's Russian
|if you are in Rome, live as a Roman; if you are elsewhere, live as you would have lived there
|-
|-
|Georgian
|Lithuanian
|ჩინურია ჩემთვის
|Romoje elkis kaip romėnai
|Chinese to me
|In Rome, do as the Romans do
|-
|-
|German
|Malay
|das kommt mir spanisch vor
|di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung
|it seems Spanish to me
|hold up the sky of the land where you stand
|-
|-
|German
|Malay
|das sind für mich böhmische Dörfer
|masuk ke dalam kandang kambing mengembek, masuk ke dalam kandang kerbau menguak
|that is Czech villages to me
|bleat in the goat's pen, grunt in the buffalo's shed
|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Maltese
|<div style="text-align:right">זה סינית בשבילי</div>
|meta tkun Ruma, agħmel bħal Rumani
|it’s Chinese for me
|when in Rome, do as the Romans do
|-
|-
|Hindi
|Northern Kurdish
|क्या मैं फ़ारसी बोल रहा हूँ
|li gorî derdor û adetên xwecihî tevgeriyan
|am I speaking Persian
|behaved according to the environment and local customs
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Norwegian Bokmål
|ez nekem kínai
|når man er i Rom gjør man som romerne
|it’s Chinese to me
|when in Rome, do as the Romans do
|-
|-
|Icelandic
|Persian
|þetta er hebreska fyrir mér
|<div style="text-align:right">خواهی نشوی رسوا همرنگ جماعت شو</div>
|this is Hebrew to me
|if you don't want to be disgraced, be like the crowd
|-
|-
|Indonesian
|Polish
|bahasa dewa
|jeśli wejdziesz między wrony, musisz krakać jak i one
|language of deities
|when you go among the crows, you must caw like them
|-
|-
|Indonesian
|Polish
|itu bahasa planet
|w czyim chlebie smakujemy, tego i pochlebujemy
|that's the language of a planet
|in whose bread we taste, we also flatter
|-
|-
|Italian
|Polish
|è ostrogoto
|co kraj, to obyczaj
|it's Ostrogoth
|every country, there is a custom
|-
|-
|Italian
|Portuguese
|per me è arabo
|quando em Roma, faça como os romanos
|it's Arabic to me
|when in Rome, do as the Romans do
|-
|-
|Latin
|Romanian
|graecum est; nōn legitur
|la Roma, faci ca romanii
|it's Greek; it cannot be read
|in Rome, do as the Romans do
|-
|-
|Macedonian
|Russian
|шпанско село
|с волками жить — по-волчьи выть
|Spanish village
|to live amongst wolves, you should howl like a wolf
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Russian
|αυτά μου φαίνονται κινέζικα
|со своим уставом в чужой монастырь не ходят
|these look chinese to me
|don’t go with your own rules to someone else’s monastery
|-
|-
|Norwegian Bokmål
|Scottish Gaelic
|det er helt gresk for meg
|beus na tuath, far am bithear 's e a nithear
|it's full Greek to me
|the manners of the folk, where one is it is what one does
|-
|-
|Norwegian Nynorsk
|Scottish Gaelic
|det er heilt gresk for meg
|dèan san Òban a rèir an Òbain
|it's full Greek to me
|do in Oban according to Oban
|-
|-
|Polish
|Serbo-Croatian
|to dla mnie chińszczyzna
|кад си у Риму, понашај се као Римљанин / kad si u Rimu, ponašaj se kao Rimljanin
|it's Chinese to me
|when in Rome, act like a Roman
|-
|Portuguese
|para mim você está falando grego
|you are speaking Greek to me
|-
|Panjabi
|ਕੀ ਮੈਂ ਫਾਰਸੀ ਬੋਲਦਾ ਪਿਆਂ
|am I speaking Persian
|-
|Romanian
|e chineză pentru mine
|it's Chinese to me
|-
|Russian
|китайская грамота
|Chinese writing
|-
|-
|Serbo-Croatian
|Somali
|шпанска села / španska sela
|meel Il laga la'yahay ishaa layska tuura
|Spanish villages
|where there is no eye, throw away the eye
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Spanish
|esto es chino para mí
|allá donde fueres, haz lo que vieres
|this is Chinese for me
|when you go there, do what you see
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Spanish
|no entiendo ni papa
|si entre burros te ves, rebuzna alguna vez
|I don't understand even one potato
|if you find yourself among donkeys, bray any way
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Swedish
|det är rena grekiskan
|ta seden dit man kommer
|it is pure Greek
|take to the custom from where you're at
|-
|-
|Tagalog
|Thai
|parang intsik
|เข้าเมืองตาหลิ่ว ต้องหลิ่วตาตาม
|it looks like Chinese
|to enter the town of squint-eyed people and need to squint one's own eyes like them
|-
|-
|Turkish
|Turkish
|bir şey anladıysam Arap olayım
|Roma'dayken Romalılar gibi davran
|let me be Arabic if I understand anything
|when in Rome, act like the Romans
|-
|-
|Ukrainian
|Vietnamese
|це для мене китайська грамота
|nhập gia tùy tục, nhập giang tùy khúc
|that's Chinese writing to me
|enter the house and follow customs, enter river and follow bends
|-
|-
|Vietnamese
|Welsh
|nói tiếng Lào
|pan foch yn Rhufain, gwnewch fel y Rhufeiniaid
|to speak Lao
|when you are in Rome, do as the Romans do
|-
|-
|Vietnamese
|Welsh
|nói tiếng Miên
|yn Ffrainc rhaid yfed yn ffraeth
|to speak Khmer
|in France you have to drink witty
|}
|}


== Ignorant and narrow-minded person ==
== Give one a little benefit and the one will demand more ==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!language
!saying
!saying
!literal meaning
!literal meaning
|-
|Albanian
|jepja gishtin, të merr dorën
|I give you the finger, take your hand
|-
|Arabic
|<div style="text-align:right">فتحناله، دخل بحماره‎</div>
|we opened the door, he came in with his donkey
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|井底之蛙
|得寸進尺／得寸进尺
|a frog at the bottom of a well
|get a cùn (~ 3 centemetres) and go for a chǐ (~ 30 centemetres)
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Danish
|井底の蛙
|ræk nogen en lillefinger, og han tager hele armen
|a frog at the bottom of a well
|give someone a little finger, they take the whole arm
|-
|-
|Malay
|English
|katak di bawah tempurung
|give them an inch and they'll take a mile
|a frog under a coconut shell
|give them an inch and they'll take a mile
|-
|-
|Malayalam
|Finnish
|കൂപമണ്ഡൂകം
|kun antaa pahalle pikkusormen, se vie koko käden
|the frog in a well
|when you give the evil a little finger, it takes the whole hand
|-
|French
|tendez-leur la main et ils vous prennent le bras
|lend a hand and they take your arm
|-
|German
|gib jemandem den kleinen Finger und er nimmt die ganze Hand
|give someone the little finger and he takes the whole hand
|-
|-
|Sanskrit
|Modern Greek
|कूपमण्डूक
|Δώσε θάρρος στο χωριάτη, να σ΄ανέβει στο κρεβάτι
|frog in a well
|Give courage to the villager to hop on your bed!
|-
|-
|Thai
|Hebrew
|กบในกะลา
|<div style="text-align:right">נותנים לו אצבע והוא רוצה את כל היד‎</div>
|frog in a coconut shell
|he's given the little finger and he wants the whole hand
|-
|-
|Vietnamese
|Russian
|ếch ngồi đáy giếng
|дай ему палец, он всю руку откусит
|a frog that sits at the bottom of a well
|give him a finger, he'll bite your whole hand off
|}
|}


== Inexperienced ==
== Heavy rain ==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!language
Line 1,948: Line 2,009:
!literal meaning
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Bulgarian
|Azerbaijani
|с жълто около устата
|tut ucundan, göyə çıx
|with yellow around the mouth
|grab the ends, go to sky
|-
|Catalan
|ploure a bots i barrals
|rain bota bags and barrels
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|乳臭未乾／乳臭未干
|傾盆大雨／倾盆大雨
|{smell of} the mother's milk is not dried
|pour from a basin
|-
|Czech
|lít jako z konve
|pour from a water can
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Dutch
|nat achter de oren
|pijpenstelen regenen
|wet behind the ears
|rain pipe handles
|-
|-
|English
|English
|wet behind the ears
|rain buckets
|wet behind the ears
|rain buckets
|-
|-
|German
|English
|grün hinter den Ohren
|rain cats and dogs
|green behind the ears
|rain cats and dogs
|-
|-
|German
|Finnish
|feucht hinter den Ohren
|sataa äkäisiä ämmiä äkeet selässä
|wet behind the ears
|rain angry hags with harrows on their back
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Finnish
|尻が青い
|sataa kuin saavista kaataen
|have a blue butt
|rain as if by pouring from a tub
|-
|-
|Latvian
|French
|vēl slapjš aiz ausīm
|pleuvoir comme vache qui pisse
|still wet behind the ears
|rain like a cow pissing on a flat rock
|-
|-
|Norwegian
|French
|våt bak ørene
|pleuvoir des cordes
|wet behind the ears
|rain ropes
|-
|-
|Russian
|French
|молоко на губах не обсохло
|pleuvoir des hallebardes
|the milk has not dried on the lips
|rain halberds
|}
 
== Irreversible actions have been taken; the future is determined ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Arabic
|German
|<div style="text-align:right">سبق السيف العذل‎</div>
|Bindfäden regnen
|the sword preceded the humiliation
|rain threads
|-
|-
|Bulgarian
|German
|зарът е хвърлен
|wie aus Eimern schütten
|the dice have been thrown
|like pouring out of buckets
|-
|-
|Catalan
|Hungarian
|el dau ha estat tirat
|zuhog, mintha dézsából öntenék
|the die has been rolled
|pour from a tub
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Icelandic
|木已成舟
|rigna eldi og brennisteini
|the wood has already been made into a boat
|rain fire and brimstone
|-
|-
|Croatian
|Italian
|kostky byly vrženy
|piovere a catinelle
|the dice were rolled
|rain buckets
|-
|-
|Danish
|Italian
|terningen er kastet
|piovere come Dio la manda
|the die is thrown
|rain as God sends it
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Japanese
|de geest is uit de fles
|土砂降りになる
|genie is out of the bottle
|become dropping dirt and sand
|-
|-
|English
|Modern Greek
|genie is out of the bottle
|βρέχει με το τουλούμι
|genie is out of the bottle
|rain with the goatskin
|-
|-
|English
|Modern Greek
|the die is cast
|ρίχνει καντάρια
|the die is cast
|pour kantars
|-
|-
|Esperanto
|Modern Greek
|la ĵetkubo estas ĵetita
|ρίχνει καρεκλοπόδαρα
|the die is thrown
|it's raining cats and dogs
|-
|-
|Estonian
|Norwegian Bokmål
|liisk on langenud
|regne sinte kjerringer
|the die is fallen
|rain mad hags
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Polish
|arpa on heitetty
|lać jak z cebra
|the die is thrown
|pour like from a bucket
|-
|-
|French
|Portuguese
|le sort en est jeté
|chover a cântaros
|the fate is thrown
|rain buckets
|-
|-
|French
|Portuguese
|les dés sont jetés
|chover a potes
|the dice are thrown
|rain pots
|-
|-
|French
|Portuguese
|les jeux sont faits
|chover canivete
|the games are made
|rain pocketknives
|-
|-
|Galician
|Portuguese
|a sorte está botada
|o céu vir abaixo
|the fate is thrown
|the sky comes down
|-
|-
|Georgian
|Romanian
|კამათელი გაგორებულია
|ploua cu găleata
|the dice are rolled
|rain with the bucket
|-
|-
|German
|Russian
|die Würfel sind gefallen
|лить как из ведра
|the dice are fallen
|pour like from a bucket
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Spanish
|a kocka el van vetve
|llover a cántaros
|the die has been cast away
|rain jugs
|-
|-
|Icelandic
|Spanish
|teningnum er kastað
|llover a mares
|the die is thrown
|rain seas
|-
|-
|Italian
|Swedish
|il dado è tratto
|stå som spön i backen
|the die is thrown
|stand like rods in the ground
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Welsh
|賽は投げられた
|bwrw hen wragedd â ffyn
|the dice have been thrown
|[beating (raining)] old women with sticks
|-
|-
|Korean
|Yue Chinese
|주사위는 던져졌다
|落狗屎／落狗屎
|the dice have been thrown
|pouring dog poop
|}
 
== I don't understand the language ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Latin
|Arabic
|ālea iacta est
|<div style="text-align:right">يتحدث باللغة الصينية</div>
|the die is cast
|speaking in Chinese
|-
|-
|Macedonian
|Armenian
|коцката е фрлена
|դա ինձ համար չինարեն է
|the die is thrown
|it's Chinese to me
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Chavacano
|ο κύβος ερρίφθη
|Aleman ese comigo
|the die is thrown
|it's German to me
|-
|-
|Northern Kurdish
|Chinese
|tîr ji kevan pekiya
|鳥語／鸟语
|the arrow has left the bow
|bird's speech
|-
|-
|Norwegian Bokmål
|Chinese
|terningen er kastet
|天書／天书
|the die is thrown
|writing from the heaven
|-
|-
|Norwegian Nynorsk
|Czech
|terningen er kasta
|to je pro mě španělská vesnice
|the die is thrown
|it's a Spanish village to me
|-
|-
|Persian
|Danish
|<div style="text-align:right">تاس‌ها پرتاب شده‌اند‎</div>
|det er græsk for mig
|the dice have been thrown
|it is Greek to me
|-
|-
|Polish
|Danish
|kości zostały rzucone
|en by i Rusland
|the dice have been thrown
|a town in Russia
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Danish
|a sorte está lançada
|rent volapyk
|the fate is cast
|pure Volapük
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Dutch
|os dados estão lançados
|dat is Chinees voor mij
|the dice are thrown
|this is Chinese to me
|-
|-
|Romanian
|English
|zarul este aruncat
|it's Greek to me
|the die is rolled
|it's Greek to me
|-
|-
|Russian
|Esperanto
|жребий брошен
|ĝi estas por mi volapukaĵo
|the fate is thrown
|it is Volapük to me
|-
|-
|Scottish Gaelic
|Finnish
|dè a bhios ann, tachraidh e
|se on minulle täyttä hepreaa
|what will happen will happen
|it is totally Hebrew to me
|-
|-
|Serbo-Croatian
|French
|ко̏цка је бачена / kȍcka je bačena
|c'est de l'hébreu
|the dice is thrown
|it's Hebrew
|-
|-
|Slovak
|French
|kocky sú hodené
|c'est du chinois
|the dice are rolled
|it's Chinese
|-
|-
|Slovenian
|French
|kọ̑cka je padla
|c'est du javanais
|the die is thrown
|it's Javanese
|-
|-
|Spanish
|French
|la suerte está echada
|c'est du russe
|the fortune is thrown
|it's Russian
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Georgian
|tärningen är kastad
|ჩინურია ჩემთვის
|the dice are thrown
|Chinese to me
|-
|-
|Turkish
|German
|zar atıldı
|das kommt mir spanisch vor
|dice rolled
|it seems Spanish to me
|-
|-
|Ukrainian
|German
|гральну кістку кинуто
|das sind für mich böhmische Dörfer
|the die is thrown
|that is Czech villages to me
|-
|-
|Ukrainian
|Hebrew
|жереб кинуто
|<div style="text-align:right">זה סינית בשבילי</div>
|the fortune is thrown
|it’s Chinese for me
|}
 
== Little things can add up and become great ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Hindi
|集腋成裘／集腋成裘
|क्या मैं फ़ारसी बोल रहा हूँ
|gather underarm hairs and then a fur coat can be made
|am I speaking Persian
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Hungarian
|聚沙成塔／聚沙成塔
|ez nekem kínai
|gather sands and then a tower can be built
|it’s Chinese to me
|-
|-
|Danish
|Icelandic
|mange bække små gør en stor å
|þetta er hebreska fyrir mér
|many small brooks make a big river
|this is Hebrew to me
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Indonesian
|vele kleintjes maken een grote
|bahasa dewa
|many little things make a big one
|language of deities
|-
|-
|English
|Indonesian
|many a mickle makes a muckle
|itu bahasa planet
|many a mickle makes a muckle
|that's the language of a planet
|-
|-
|English
|Italian
|take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves
|è ostrogoto
|take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves
|it's Ostrogoth
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Italian
|pienistä puroista syntyy suuri joki
|per me è arabo
|small streams make a big river
|it's Arabic to me
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Latin
|senteissä tuhannen alku
|graecum est; nōn legitur
|in cents is the beginning of a thousand
|it's Greek; it cannot be read
|-
|-
|French
|Macedonian
|les petits ruisseaux font les grandes rivières
|шпанско село
|small streams make big rivers
|Spanish village
|-
|-
|German
|Modern Greek
|wer den Pfennig nicht ehrt, ist des Talers nicht wert
|αυτά μου φαίνονται κινέζικα
|he who does not value the penny is not worth the thaler
|these look chinese to me
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Norwegian Bokmål
|sok kicsi sokra megy
|det er helt gresk for meg
|a lot of little goes to a lot
|it's full Greek to me
|-
|-
|Icelandic
|Norwegian Nynorsk
|margt smátt gerir eitt stórt
|det er heilt gresk for meg
|many small things make one big thing
|it's full Greek to me
|-
|-
|Irish
|Polish
|bailíonn brobh beart
|to dla mnie chińszczyzna
|a blade gathers a bundle
|it's Chinese to me
|-
|-
|Jamaican Patois
|Portuguese
|every mikkle mek a mukkle
|para mim você está falando grego
|many a mickle makes a muckle
|you are speaking Greek to me
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Panjabi
|塵も積もれば山となる
|ਕੀ ਮੈਂ ਫਾਰਸੀ ਬੋਲਦਾ ਪਿਆਂ
|dust, if piled up, becomes a mountain
|am I speaking Persian
|-
|-
|Korean
|Romanian
|티끌 모아 태산
|e chineză pentru mine
|a lot of little goes to a lot
|it's Chinese to me
|-
|-
|Korean
|Russian
|푼돈을 아끼면 큰돈은 저절로 모인다
|китайская грамота
|if you save small amounts, big amounts will naturally accumulate
|Chinese writing
|-
|-
|Malay
|Serbo-Croatian
|sedikit-sedikit, lama-lama jadi bukit
|шпанска села / španska sela
|bit by bit, in the end it becomes a hill
|Spanish villages
|-
|-
|Malay
|Spanish
|sehari selembar benang, lama-lama menjadi kain
|esto es chino para mí
|every day a thread, soon a cloth
|this is Chinese for me
|-
|-
|Polish
|Spanish
|grosz do grosza, a będzie kokosza
|no entiendo ni papa
|one grosz at a time and there will be a hen
|I don't understand even one potato
|-
|-
|Polish
|Swedish
|ziarnko do ziarnka, a zbierze się miarka
|det är rena grekiskan
|grain to grain and the measuring cup will collect
|it is pure Greek
|-
|-
|Russian
|Tagalog
|копейка рубль бережёт
|parang intsik
|a kopeck saves a rouble
|it looks like Chinese
|-
|-
|Slovenian
|Turkish
|zrno na zrno pogača kamen na kamen palača
|bir şey anladıysam Arap olayım
|grain by grain a cake, stone by stone a palace
|let me be Arabic if I understand anything
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Ukrainian
|många bäckar små gör en stor å
|це для мене китайська грамота
|many small streams make a big river
|that's Chinese writing to me
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Vietnamese
|un grano no hace granero, pero ayuda al compañero
|nói tiếng Lào
|one grain does not make a granary, but it helps its companion
|to speak Lao
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Vietnamese
|damlaya damlaya göl olur
|nói tiếng Miên
|drop by drop becomes a lake
|to speak Khmer
|}
|}


== Not easily categorised ==
== Ignorant and narrow-minded person ==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!language
Line 2,289: Line 2,351:
!literal meaning
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Arabic
|Chinese
|<div style="text-align:right">لا السمك ولا الطيور‎</div>
|井底之蛙／井底之蛙
|neither fish nor bird
|a frog at the bottom of a well
|-
|-
|Catalan
|Japanese
|ni carn ni peix
|井底の蛙
|neither meat nor fish
|a frog at the bottom of a well
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Malay
|非驢非馬／非驴非马
|katak di bawah tempurung
|neither donkey nor horse
|a frog under a coconut shell
|-
|-
|Czech
|Malayalam
|ani ryba ani rak
|കൂപമണ്ഡൂകം
|neither fish nor crayfish
|the frog in a well
|-
|-
|Danish
|Sanskrit
|hverken fugl eller fisk
|कूपमण्डूक
|neither bird nor fish
|frog in a well
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Thai
|mossel noch vis
|กบในกะลา
|neither mussel nor fish
|frog in a coconut shell
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Vietnamese
|vlees noch vis
|ếch ngồi đáy giếng
|neither meat nor fish
|a frog that sits at the bottom of a well
|}
 
== Inexperienced ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|English
|Bulgarian
|neither fish nor fowl
|с жълто около устата
|neither fish nor fowl
|with yellow around the mouth
|-
|-
|Faroese
|Chinese
|hvørki fuglur ella fiskur
|乳臭未乾／乳臭未干
|neither bird nor fish
|{smell of} the mother's milk is not dried
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Dutch
|ei lintu eikä kala
|nat achter de oren
|neither bird nor fish
|wet behind the ears
|-
|-
|French
|English
|mi-figue mi-raisin
|wet behind the ears
|half-fig half-grape
|wet behind the ears
|-
|-
|Galician
|German
|nin arre nin xo
|grün hinter den Ohren
|neither too little nor too much
|green behind the ears
|-
|-
|German
|German
|weder Fisch noch Fleisch
|feucht hinter den Ohren
|neither fish nor meat
|wet behind the ears
|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Japanese
|<div style="text-align:right">לא בשר ולא חלב‎</div>
|尻が青い
|neither meat nor milk
|have a blue butt
|-
|-
|Icelandic
|Latvian
|hvorki fugl né fiskur
|vēl slapjš aiz ausīm
|neither bird nor fish
|still wet behind the ears
|-
|-
|Irish
|Norwegian
|níl sé ina ghruth ná ina mheadhg
|våt bak ørene
|it's neither curd nor whey
|wet behind the ears
|-
|-
|Italian
|Russian
|né carne né pesce
|молоко на губах не обсохло
|neither meat nor fish
|the milk has not dried on the lips
|-
|}
|Japanese
 
|海の物とも山の物ともつかない
== Irreversible actions have been taken; the future is determined ==
|neither things in the ocean nor things in the mountain
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Norwegian Bokmål
|Arabic
|hverken fugl eller fisk
|<div style="text-align:right">سبق السيف العذل‎</div>
|neither bird nor fish
|the sword preceded the humiliation
|-
|-
|Polish
|Bulgarian
|ni pies, ni wydra
|зарът е хвърлен
|neither dog nor otter
|the dice have been thrown
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Catalan
|nem carne nem peixe
|el dau ha estat tirat
|neither meat nor fish
|the die has been rolled
|-
|-
|Romanian
|Chinese
|nici cal nici măgar
|木已成舟／木已成舟
|neither horse nor donkey
|the wood has already been made into a boat
|-
|-
|Russian
|Croatian
|ни рыба ни мясо
|kostky byly vrženy
|neither fish nor meat
|the dice were rolled
|-
|Spanish
|ni chicha ni limonada
|neither chicha nor lemonade
|-
|Swedish
|varken fågel eller fisk
|neither fowl nor fish
|-
|Yue Chinese
|唔湯唔水／唔汤唔水
|neither soup nor water
|}
 
== Opportunity has passed ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|Armenian
|գնացքը գնացել է
|the train has left
|-
|-
|Danish
|Danish
|det tog er kørt
|terningen er kastet
|the train has run
|the die is thrown
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Dutch
|dat is een gepasseerd station
|de geest is uit de fles
|that is a passed station
|genie is out of the bottle
|-
|-
|Dutch
|English
|vlees noch vis
|genie is out of the bottle
|neither meat nor fish
|genie is out of the bottle
|-
|-
|English
|English
|that ship has sailed
|the die is cast
|that ship has sailed
|the die is cast
|-
|Esperanto
|la ĵetkubo estas ĵetita
|the die is thrown
|-
|-
|English
|Estonian
|that train has left the station
|liisk on langenud
|that train has left the station
|the die is fallen
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Finnish
|se juna meni jo
|arpa on heitetty
|it is June for me
|the die is thrown
|-
|-
|German
|French
|dieser Zug ist abgefahren
|le sort en est jeté
|that train has left
|the fate is thrown
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|French
|ez a vonat már elment
|les dés sont jetés
|this train has already gone
|the dice are thrown
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|French
|ez a hajó már elment
|les jeux sont faits
|this ship has aready gone
|the games are made
|-
|-
|Italian
|Galician
|hai perso il treno
|a sorte está botada
|you missed the train
|the fate is thrown
|-
|Georgian
|კამათელი გაგორებულია
|the dice are rolled
|-
|-
|Norwegian Bokmål
|German
|det toget er kjørt
|die Würfel sind gefallen
|that train has left
|the dice are fallen
|-
|-
|Russian
|Hungarian
|поезд ушёл
|a kocka el van vetve
|the train is gone
|the die has been cast away
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Icelandic
|ese barco ya zarpó
|teningnum er kastað
|that ship has already sailed
|the die is thrown
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Italian
|se te fue el tren
|il dado è tratto
|you missed the train
|the die is thrown
|}
 
== People who often threat seldom commit it ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Afrikaans
|Japanese
|blaffende honde byt nie
|賽は投げられた
|barking dogs don't bite
|the dice have been thrown
|-
|-
|Albanian
|Korean
|qeni që leh, s'të ha
|주사위는 던져졌다
|the dog that barks will not eat you
|the dice have been thrown
|-
|-
|Basque
|Latin
|zakur zaunkaria nekez hozkaria
|ālea iacta est
|barking dog hardly bite
|the die is cast
|-
|-
|Catalan
|Macedonian
|gos que lladra, no mossega
|коцката е фрлена
|dog that barks doesn't bite
|the die is thrown
|-
|-
|Czech
|Modern Greek
|pes, který štěká, nekouše
|ο κύβος ερρίφθη
|a dog that barks doesn't bite
|the die is thrown
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Northern Kurdish
|blaffende honden bijten niet
|tîr ji kevan pekiya
|barking dogs do not bite
|the arrow has left the bow
|-
|-
|English
|Norwegian Bokmål
|barking dogs seldom bite
|terningen er kastet
|barking dogs seldom bite
|the die is thrown
|-
|-
|Esperanto
|Norwegian Nynorsk
|bojanta hundo ne mordas
|terningen er kasta
|a barking dog does not bite
|the die is thrown
|-
|-
|Esperanto
|Persian
|ne ĉio batas, kio tondras
|<div style="text-align:right">تاس‌ها پرتاب شده‌اند‎</div>
|not everything thunders strikes
|the dice have been thrown
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Polish
|haukkuva koira ei pure
|kości zostały rzucone
|a barking dog does not bite
|the dice have been thrown
|-
|-
|French
|Portuguese
|chien qui aboie ne mord pas
|a sorte está lançada
|a dog that barks does not bite
|the fate is cast
|-
|-
|German
|Portuguese
|Hunde, die bellen, beißen nicht
|os dados estão lançados
|dogs who bark don't bite
|the dice are thrown
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Romanian
|amelyik kutya ugat, az nem harap
|zarul este aruncat
|the dog that barks does not bite
|the die is rolled
|-
|-
|Italian
|Russian
|can che abbaia non morde
|жребий брошен
|a barking dog doesn't bite
|the fate is thrown
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Scottish Gaelic
|弱い犬ほどよく吠る
|dè a bhios ann, tachraidh e
|weak dogs bark more
|what will happen will happen
|-
|-
|Korean
|Serbo-Croatian
|짖는 개는 물지 않는다
|ко̏цка је бачена / kȍcka je bačena
|barking dogs don't bite
|the dice is thrown
|-
|-
|Latin
|Slovak
|canis sine dentibus vehementius lātrat
|kocky sú hodené
|a dog without teeth barks more violently
|the dice are rolled
|-
|-
|Macedonian
|Slovenian
|куче што лае, не каса
|kọ̑cka je padla
|a dog that barks, does not bite
|the die is thrown
|-
|-
|Malay
|Spanish
|anjing menyalak tak menggigit
|la suerte está echada
|barking dog doesn't bite
|the fortune is thrown
|-
|-
|Malayalam
|Swedish
|കുരയ്ക്കുന്ന പട്ടി കടിക്കില്ല
|tärningen är kastad
|a barking dog will not bite
|the dice are thrown
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Turkish
|σκύλος που γαβγίζει, δε δαγκώνει
|zar atıldı
|a dog that barks doesn't bite
|dice rolled
|-
|-
|Polish
|Ukrainian
|pies, co bardzo szczeka, nie bardzo kąsa
|гральну кістку кинуто
|a dog that barks a lot, doesn't bite much
|the die is thrown
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Ukrainian
|cão que ladra não morde
|жереб кинуто
|dog that barks, doesn't bite
|the fortune is thrown
|}
 
== Little things can add up and become great ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Romanian
|Chinese
|câinele care latră nu mușcă
|集腋成裘／集腋成裘
|barking dog doesn't bite
|gather underarm hairs and then a fur coat can be made
|-
|-
|Russian
|Chinese
|лающая собака не кусает
|聚沙成塔／聚沙成塔
|a barking dog won't bite
|gather sands and then a tower can be built
|-
|-
|Serbian
|Danish
|пас који ла̏је не гризе
|mange bække små gør en stor å
|a dog that barks doesn't bite
|many small brooks make a big river
|-
|-
|Slovenian
|Dutch
|pes, ki laja, ne grize
|vele kleintjes maken een grote
|a dog that barks doesn't bite
|many little things make a big one
|-
|-
|Spanish
|English
|perro ladrador, poco mordedor
|many a mickle makes a muckle
|barking dog, not very biting
|many a mickle makes a muckle
|-
|-
|Swedish
|English
|skällande hund bits inte
|take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves
|barking dog does not bite
|take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves
|-
|-
|Tagalog
|Finnish
|ang asong tahol nang tahol ay hindi nangangagat
|pienistä puroista syntyy suuri joki
|a dog that barks does not bite
|small streams make a big river
|-
|-
|Tamil
|Finnish
|குரைக்கும் நாய் கடிக்காது
|senteissä tuhannen alku
|a barking dog does not bite
|in cents is the beginning of a thousand
|-
|-
|Telugu
|French
|అరిచే కుక్క కరవదు
|les petits ruisseaux font les grandes rivières
|a barking dog will not bite
|small streams make big rivers
|-
|-
|Thai
|German
|หมาเห่าไม่กัด
|wer den Pfennig nicht ehrt, ist des Talers nicht wert
|barking dog doesn't bite
|he who does not value the penny is not worth the thaler
|-
|-
|Turkish
|Hungarian
|havlayan köpek ısırmaz
|sok kicsi sokra megy
|the barking dog does not bite
|a lot of little goes to a lot
|}
 
== Person being mentioned arrives ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Arabic
|Icelandic
|<div style="text-align:right">اذكر غائبا تره‎</div>
|margt smátt gerir eitt stórt
|mention an absent person, and you shall see him
|many small things make one big thing
|-
|-
|Azerbaijani
|Irish
|adını çək, qulağını bur
|bailíonn brobh beart
|name him, find him in the direction to which you turn your ear
|a blade gathers a bundle
|-
|-
|Basque
|Jamaican Patois
|otsoa aipatu, otsoa agertu
|every mikkle mek a mukkle
|the wolf mentioned, the wolf appears
|many a mickle makes a muckle
|-
|-
|Bulgarian
|Japanese
|говорим за вълка, а той в кошарата
|塵も積もれば山となる
|speaking about the wolf , and he is in the sheep pen
|dust, if piled up, becomes a mountain
|-
|-
|Catalan
|Korean
|parlant del rei de Roma, entra per la porta
|티끌 모아 태산
|speak of the king of Rome, and he will come in through the door
|a lot of little goes to a lot
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Korean
|說曹操，曹操到／说曹操，曹操到
|푼돈을 아끼면 큰돈은 저절로 모인다
|speak of Cáo Cāo and Cáo Cāo arrives
|if you save small amounts, big amounts will naturally accumulate
|-
|-
|Czech
|Malay
|my o vlku a vlk za dveřmi, my o vlku a vlk za humny
|sedikit-sedikit, lama-lama jadi bukit
|speak of the wolf and the wolf is behind the doors
|bit by bit, in the end it becomes a hill
|-
|-
|Danish
|Malay
|når man taler om solen
|sehari selembar benang, lama-lama menjadi kain
|when you speak of the sun
|every day a thread, soon a cloth
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Polish
|als je het over de duivel hebt, dan zie je zijn staart
|grosz do grosza, a będzie kokosza
|we not only see his tail, we even step on it
|one grosz at a time and there will be a hen
|-
|-
|English
|Polish
|speak of the devil and he shall appear
|ziarnko do ziarnka, a zbierze się miarka
|speak of the devil and he shall appear
|grain to grain and the measuring cup will collect
|-
|-
|Estonian
|Russian
|kus hundist juttu
|копейка рубль бережёт
|where speaking of the wolf
|a kopeck saves a rouble
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Slovenian
|siinä paha missä mainitaan
|zrno na zrno pogača kamen na kamen palača
|there is the evil where it is mentioned
|grain by grain a cake, stone by stone a palace
|-
|-
|French
|Swedish
|quand on parle du loup, on en voit la queue
|många bäckar små gör en stor å
|when you speak of the wolf, you see his tail
|many small streams make a big river
|-
|-
|Georgian
|Spanish
|ძაღლი ახსენე და ჯოხი ხელში დაიჭირეო
|un grano no hace granero, pero ayuda al compañero
|mention the dog and hold a stick in your hand
|one grain does not make a granary, but it helps its companion
|-
|-
|German
|Spanish
|wenn man vom Teufel spricht, dann kommt er
|damlaya damlaya göl olur
|when one speaks of the devil, then he comes
|drop by drop becomes a lake
|}
 
== Not easily categorised ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Arabic
|<div style="text-align:right">מדברים על החמור, והחמור בא‎</div>
|<div style="text-align:right">لا السمك ولا الطيور‎</div>
|speak of the donkey and the donkey comes
|neither fish nor bird
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Catalan
|ne fesd az ördögöt a falra, mert megjelenik
|ni carn ni peix
|don't paint the devil on the wall, or he will appear
|neither meat nor fish
|-
|-
|Icelandic
|Chinese
|oft kemur illur þá um er rætt
|非驢非馬／非驴非马
|often evil comes when it is discussed
|neither donkey nor horse
|-
|-
|Irish
|Czech
|tagann gach aon rud lena iomrá ach madadh rua agus marbhán
|ani ryba ani rak
|everything comes to mention but a red wolf and a dead man
|neither fish nor crayfish
|-
|-
|Italian
|Danish
|parli del diavolo e spuntano le corna
|hverken fugl eller fisk
|talk about the devil, and the horns appear
|neither bird nor fish
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Dutch
|噂をすれば影がさす
|mossel noch vis
|if you gossip, it will cast a shadow
|neither mussel nor fish
|-
|-
|Korean
|Dutch
|호랑이도 제 말 하면 온다
|vlees noch vis
|the tiger comes when he is spoken about
|neither meat nor fish
|-
|-
|Latin
|English
|lupus in fābulā
|neither fish nor fowl
|the wolf in a story
|neither fish nor fowl
|-
|-
|Latin
|Faroese
|lupus in sermōne
|hvørki fuglur ella fiskur
|the wolf in a conversation
|neither bird nor fish
|-
|-
|Lithuanian
|Finnish
|vilką minim, vilkas čia
|ei lintu eikä kala
|you mention a wolf, the wolf is here
|neither bird nor fish
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|French
|κατά φωνή κι ο γάιδαρος
|mi-figue mi-raisin
|by voice, here is the donkey
|half-fig half-grape
|-
|-
|Norwegian
|Galician
|når man snakker om sola
|nin arre nin xo
|when you speak of the sun
|neither too little nor too much
|-
|-
|Polish
|German
|o wilku mowa, a wilk tu
|weder Fisch noch Fleisch
|talk about the wolf, and he is almost here
|neither fish nor meat
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Hebrew
|falando do diabo, aparece o rabo
|<div style="text-align:right">לא בשר ולא חלב‎</div>
|when you speak of the devil, his tail will show up
|neither meat nor milk
|-
|-
|Romanian
|Icelandic
|vorbești de lup și lupul la ușă
|hvorki fugl né fiskur
|you talk about the wolf and the wolf comes
|neither bird nor fish
|-
|-
|Russian
|Irish
|про серого речь, а серый навстречь
|níl sé ina ghruth ná ina mheadhg
|when it’s spoken about a grey one, one meets the grey one
|it's neither curd nor whey
|-
|-
|Scottish Gaelic
|Italian
|thig an donas ri iomradh
|né carne né pesce
|the misfortune comes as mentioned
|neither meat nor fish
|-
|-
|Serbo-Croatian
|Japanese
|ми о вуку, ми о вуку а вук на врата / mi o vuku, mi o vuku a vuk na vrata
|海の物とも山の物ともつかない
|we mention the wolf, and he enters the door
|neither things in the ocean nor things in the mountain
|-
|-
|Slovenian
|Norwegian Bokmål
|ti o volku volk iz gozda
|hverken fugl eller fisk
|we speak of the wolf, the wolf comes from the forest
|neither bird nor fish
|-
|Polish
|ni pies, ni wydra
|neither dog nor otter
|-
|Portuguese
|nem carne nem peixe
|neither meat nor fish
|-
|-
|South Levantine Arabic
|Romanian
|<div style="text-align:right">ابن الحلال عند ذكره ببان</div>
|nici cal nici măgar
|the decent man appears with the mention
|neither horse nor donkey
|-
|-
|South Levantine Arabic
|Russian
|<div style="text-align:right">ذكرنا القط، أجا ينط</div>
|ни рыба ни мясо
|we mentioned the cat and he came jumping
|neither fish nor meat
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Spanish
|habla del rey de Roma, y asoma
|ni chicha ni limonada
|speak of the king of Rome, and he surprises you
|neither chicha nor lemonade
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Swedish
|när man talar om trollen, står de i farstun
|varken fågel eller fisk
|when one speaks of the trolls, they're out in the hallway
|neither fowl nor fish
|-
|-
|Turkish
|Yue Chinese
|iti an, çomağı hazırla
|唔湯唔水／唔汤唔水
|wait, prepare the stick
|neither soup nor water
|-
|Ukrainian
|про вовка промовка
|speaking of the wolf
|-
|Welsh
|sonier am ddiawl, fe ymddengys y cythraul
|mention the devil, the devil will appear
|-
|Yiddish
|<div style="text-align:right">מע זאל נאר דערמאנען משיחן‎</div>
|We should only mention the Christ
|}
|}


== Prevent before it happens ==
== Opportunity has passed ==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!language
Line 2,785: Line 2,838:
!literal meaning
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Arabic
|Armenian
|<div style="text-align:right">الوقاية خير من العلاج</div>
|գնացքը գնացել է
|prevention is better than cure
|the train has left
|-
|Chinese
|未雨綢繆／未雨绸缪
|bind the window tightly before it rains
|-
|Chinese
|防患未然
|prevent trouble before it happens
|-
|-
|Danish
|Danish
|det er bedre at forebygge end at helbrede
|det tog er kørt
|it is better to prevent than to cure
|the train has run
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Dutch
|voorkomen is beter dan genezen
|dat is een gepasseerd station
|prevention is better than cure
|that is a passed station
|-
|-
|French
|Dutch
|mieux vaut prévenir que guérir
|vlees noch vis
|prevention is better than cure
|neither meat nor fish
|-
|English
|that ship has sailed
|that ship has sailed
|-
|-
|English
|English
|prevention is better than cure
|that train has left the station
|prevention is better than cure
|that train has left the station
|-
|Finnish
|se juna meni jo
|it is June for me
|-
|-
|German
|German
|Vorbeugen ist besser als Heilen
|dieser Zug ist abgefahren
|prevention is better than cure
|that train has left
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Hungarian
|予防は治療に勝る
|ez a vonat már elment
|prevention is better than cure
|this train has already gone
|-
|-
|Malay
|Hungarian
|mencegah lebih baik daripada mengubati
|ez a hajó már elment
|prevention is better than cure
|this ship has aready gone
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Italian
|κάλλιον το προλαμβάνειν παρά το θεραπεύειν
|hai perso il treno
|prevention is better than cure
|you missed the train
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Norwegian Bokmål
|κάλλιον του θεραπεύειν το προλαμβάνειν
|det toget er kjørt
|prevention is better than cure
|that train has left
|-
|Polish
|lepiej zapobiegać niż leczyć
|better to prevent than to cure
|-
|Portuguese
|prevenir é melhor do que remediar
|prevention is better than cure
|-
|-
|Russian
|Russian
|профилактика лучше лечения
|поезд ушёл
|prevention is better than cure
|the train is gone
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Spanish
|mas vale prevenir que lamentar
|ese barco ya zarpó
|prevention is better than regret
|that ship has already sailed
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Spanish
|por si las moscas
|se te fue el tren
|just in case there are flies
|you missed the train
|}
|}


== Prominence invites trouble ==
== People who often threat seldom commit it ==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!language
Line 2,860: Line 2,905:
!literal meaning
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Afrikaans
|樹大招風／树大招风
|blaffende honde byt nie
|big tree catches wind
|barking dogs don't bite
|-
|Dutch
|hoge bomen vangen veel wind
|tall trees catch a lot of wind
|}
== Random people ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|Afrikaans
|Jan Rap en sy maat
|Jan Rap and his partner
|-
|-
|Albanian
|Albanian
|Filani apo Fisteku
|qeni që leh, s'të ha
|Filani or Fisteku
|the dog that barks will not eat you
|-
|Arabic
|<div style="text-align:right">فلان، علان وترتان</div>
|Fulàn, 'Illàn or Tirtàn
|-
|Azerbaijani
|Ali, Vali, Pirvali
|Ali, Vali, Pirvali
|-
|-
|Basque
|Basque
|Urlia, Sandia eta Berendia
|zakur zaunkaria nekez hozkaria
|Urlia, Sandia and Berendia
|barking dog hardly bite
|-
|Bulgarian
|Сульо и Пульо
|Súljo and Púljo
|-
|-
|Catalan
|Catalan
|en Pau, en Pere i en Berenguera
|gos que lladra, no mossega
|Pau, Pere and Berenguera
|dog that barks doesn't bite
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Czech
|阿貓阿狗／阿猫阿狗
|pes, který štěká, nekouše
|kitties and doggies
|a dog that barks doesn't bite
|-
|Chinese
|張三李四／张三李四
|the third son of Zhāng, the fourth son of Lǐ
|-
|Danish
|gud og hvermand
|God and every man
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Dutch
|Jan, Piet en Klaas
|blaffende honden bijten niet
|Jan, Piet and Klaas
|barking dogs do not bite
|-
|Dutch
|Jan en Alleman
|Jan and Alleman
|-
|-
|English
|English
|Tom, Dick and Harry
|barking dogs seldom bite
|Tom, Dick and Harry
|barking dogs seldom bite
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Esperanto
|mattimeikäläinen
|bojanta hundo ne mordas
|Matt-someone
|a barking dog does not bite
|-
|-
|French
|Esperanto
|Pierre, Paul ou Jacques
|ne ĉio batas, kio tondras
|Pierre, Paul or Jacques
|not everything thunders strikes
|-
|-
|German
|Finnish
|Hans und Franz
|haukkuva koira ei pure
|Hans and Franz
|a barking dog does not bite
|-
|-
|German
|French
|Hinz und Kunz
|chien qui aboie ne mord pas
|Hinz and Kunz
|a dog that barks does not bite
|-
|-
|German
|German
|Krethi und Plethi
|Hunde, die bellen, beißen nicht
|Cherethites and Pelethites
|dogs who bark don't bite
|-
|Hindi
|ऐरा-ग़ैरा नत्थू ख़ैरा
|Airā-Ġairā Natthū Xairā
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Hungarian
|boldog-boldogtalan
|amelyik kutya ugat, az nem harap
|happy-unhappy
|the dog that barks does not bite
|-
|-
|Italian
|Italian
|Tizio, Caio e Sempronio
|can che abbaia non morde
|Tizio, Caio and Sempronio
|a barking dog doesn't bite
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Japanese
|猫も杓子も
|弱い犬ほどよく吠る
|cats and ladles too
|weak dogs bark more
|-
|-
|Korean
|Korean
|개나 소나
|짖는 개는 물지 않는다
|dogs or cows
|barking dogs don't bite
|-
|Latin
|canis sine dentibus vehementius lātrat
|a dog without teeth barks more violently
|-
|-
|Macedonian
|Macedonian
|Петко, Трајко и Круме
|куче што лае, не каса
|Petko, Trajko and Krume
|a dog that barks, does not bite
|-
|Malay
|anjing menyalak tak menggigit
|barking dog doesn't bite
|-
|Malayalam
|കുരയ്ക്കുന്ന പട്ടി കടിക്കില്ല
|a barking dog will not bite
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Modern Greek
|κάθε καρυδιάς καρύδι
|σκύλος που γαβγίζει, δε δαγκώνει
|every walnut of the walnut tree
|a dog that barks doesn't bite
|-
|-
|Norwegian
|Polish
|Gud og hvermann
|pies, co bardzo szczeka, nie bardzo kąsa
|God and every man
|a dog that barks a lot, doesn't bite much
|-
|-
|Norwegian
|Portuguese
|Per, Pål og Askeladden
|cão que ladra não morde
|Per, Pål or Askeladden
|dog that barks, doesn't bite
|-
|Persian
|<div style="text-align:right">اره و اوره و شمسی کوره‎</div>
|Âre, Ure, Šamsi Kure
|-
|Portuguese
|Fulano, Beltrano e Cicrano
|Fulano, Beltrano and Cicrano
|-
|Portuguese
|Fulano, Sicrano e Beltrano
|Fulano, Sicrano and Beltrano
|-
|-
|Romanian
|Romanian
|Ion, Vasile, Gheorghe, Ana
|câinele care latră nu mușcă
|Ion, Vasile, Gheorghe, Ana
|barking dog doesn't bite
|-
|-
|Russian
|Russian
|Иванов, Петров, Сидоров
|лающая собака не кусает
|Ivanóv, Petróv, Sídorov
|a barking dog won't bite
|-
|-
|Sardinian
|Serbian
|Fulanu, Bodale e Nighele
|пас који ла̏је не гризе
|Fulanu, Bodale and Nighele
|a dog that barks doesn't bite
|-
|-
|Serbo-Croatian
|Slovenian
|И Кунто и Панто / I Kunto i Panto
|pes, ki laja, ne grize
|both Kunto and Panto
|a dog that barks doesn't bite
|-
|-
|Serbo-Croatian
|Spanish
|Пера, Мика, Лаза / Pera, Mika, Laza
|perro ladrador, poco mordedor
|Pera, Mika, Laza
|barking dog, not very biting
|-
|Serbo-Croatian
|Марко и Трајко / Marko i Trajko
|Marko and Trajko
|-
|Spanish
|Fulano, Mengano y Sotano
|Fulano, Mengano and Sotano
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Swedish
|Joži or Džony
|skällande hund bits inte
|Joži or Džony
|barking dog does not bite
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Tagalog
|Andersson, Pettersson och Lundström
|ang asong tahol nang tahol ay hindi nangangagat
|Andersson, Pettersson or Lundström
|a dog that barks does not bite
|-
|-
|Tamil
|Tamil
|குப்பனோ சுப்பனோ
|குரைக்கும் நாய் கடிக்காது
|Kuppaṉō or Cuppaṉō
|a barking dog does not bite
|-
|-
|Telugu
|Telugu
|అప్పారావు, సుబ్బారావు
|అరిచే కుక్క కరవదు
|Appārāvu, Subbārāvu
|a barking dog will not bite
|-
|-
|Turkish
|Thai
|Ahmet, Mehmet
|หมาเห่าไม่กัด
|Ahmet, Mehmet
|barking dog doesn't bite
|-
|-
|Turkish
|Turkish
|Ali, Veli
|havlayan köpek ısırmaz
|Ali, Veli
|the barking dog does not bite
|-
|Urdu
|<div style="text-align:right">ایراغیرہ نتھو خیرا‎</div>
|Era Ġera, Nathu, Khera
|-
|Welsh
|Twm, Dic neu Harri
|Twm, Dic or Harri
|}
|}


== Stop fighting ==
== Person being mentioned arrives ==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!language
Line 3,061: Line 3,048:
!literal meaning
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Catalan
|Arabic
|enterrar la destral de guerra
|<div style="text-align:right">اذكر غائبا تره‎</div>
|bury the hatchet
|mention an absent person, and you shall see him
|-
|Azerbaijani
|adını çək, qulağını bur
|name him, find him in the direction to which you turn your ear
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Basque
|化干戈為玉帛／化干戈为玉帛
|otsoa aipatu, otsoa agertu
|turn shields and spears into jade and silk
|the wolf mentioned, the wolf appears
|-
|-
|Czech
|Bulgarian
|zakopat válečnou sekeru
|говорим за вълка, а той в кошарата
|bury the hatchet
|speaking about the wolf , and he is in the sheep pen
|-
|Catalan
|parlant del rei de Roma, entra per la porta
|speak of the king of Rome, and he will come in through the door
|-
|Chinese
|說曹操，曹操到／说曹操，曹操到
|speak of Cáo Cāo and Cáo Cāo arrives
|-
|Czech
|my o vlku a vlk za dveřmi, my o vlku a vlk za humny
|speak of the wolf and the wolf is behind the doors
|-
|Danish
|når man taler om solen
|when you speak of the sun
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Dutch
|de strijdbijl begraven
|als je het over de duivel hebt, dan zie je zijn staart
|bury the hatchet
|we not only see his tail, we even step on it
|-
|-
|English
|English
|bury the hatchet
|speak of the devil and he shall appear
|bury the hatchet
|speak of the devil and he shall appear
|-
|Estonian
|kus hundist juttu
|where speaking of the wolf
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Finnish
|haudata sotakirves
|siinä paha missä mainitaan
|bury the hatchet
|there is the evil where it is mentioned
|-
|-
|French
|French
|enterrer la hache de guerre
|quand on parle du loup, on en voit la queue
|bury the hatchet
|when you speak of the wolf, you see his tail
|-
|Georgian
|ძაღლი ახსენე და ჯოხი ხელში დაიჭირეო
|mention the dog and hold a stick in your hand
|-
|-
|German
|German
|das Kriegsbeil begraben
|wenn man vom Teufel spricht, dann kommt er
|bury the hatchet
|when one speaks of the devil, then he comes
|-
|Hebrew
|<div style="text-align:right">מדברים על החמור, והחמור בא‎</div>
|speak of the donkey and the donkey comes
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Hungarian
|elássa a csatabárdot
|ne fesd az ördögöt a falra, mert megjelenik
|bury the hatchet
|don't paint the devil on the wall, or he will appear
|-
|-
|Icelandic
|Icelandic
|að grafa stríðsöxina
|oft kemur illur þá um er rætt
|bury the hatchet
|often evil comes when it is discussed
|-
|Irish
|tagann gach aon rud lena iomrá ach madadh rua agus marbhán
|everything comes to mention but a red wolf and a dead man
|-
|-
|Italian
|Italian
|sotterrare l'ascia di guerra
|parli del diavolo e spuntano le corna
|bury the hatchet
|talk about the devil, and the horns appear
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Japanese
|θάψτε το τσεκούρι του πολέμου
|噂をすれば影がさす
|bury the hatchet
|if you gossip, it will cast a shadow
|-
|-
|Norwegian Bokmål
|Korean
|begrave stridsøksen
|호랑이도 제 말 하면 온다
|bury the hatchet
|the tiger comes when he is spoken about
|-
|-
|Polish
|Latin
|zakopać topór wojenny
|lupus in fābulā
|bury the hatchet
|the wolf in a story
|-
|-
|Russian
|Latin
|закопать топор войны
|lupus in sermōne
|bury the hatchet
|the wolf in a conversation
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Lithuanian
|begrava stridsyxan
|vilką minim, vilkas čia
|bury the hatchet
|you mention a wolf, the wolf is here
|}
 
== Subordinates take the advantage when their superior is absent ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Afrikaans
|Modern Greek
|as die kat weg is, is die muis baas
|κατά φωνή κι ο γάιδαρος
|when the cat's away, the mouse is boss
|by voice, here is the donkey
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Norwegian
|山中無老虎，猴子稱大王／山中无老虎，猴子称大王
|når man snakker om sola
|when there is no tiger in the mountain, the monkeys proclaim themselves kings
|when you speak of the sun
|-
|-
|Cimbrian
|Polish
|balda di khatz velt, di maüs tåntzan
|o wilku mowa, a wilk tu
|when the cat is missing, the mice dance
|talk about the wolf, and he is almost here
|-
|-
|Czech
|Portuguese
|když kocour není doma, myši mají pré
|falando do diabo, aparece o rabo
|when the cat's away from home, the mice are having free time
|when you speak of the devil, his tail will show up
|-
|-
|Danish
|Romanian
|når katten er ude, spiller musene på bordet
|vorbești de lup și lupul la ușă
|when the cat is out, the mice is playing on the table
|you talk about the wolf and the wolf comes
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Russian
|als de kat van huis is, dansen de muizen op tafel
|про серого речь, а серый навстречь
|when the cat is not at home, the mice dance on the table
|when it’s spoken about a grey one, one meets the grey one
|-
|-
|English
|Scottish Gaelic
|when the cat's away the mice will play
|thig an donas ri iomradh
|when the cat's away the mice will play
|the misfortune comes as mentioned
|-
|-
|Esperanto
|Serbo-Croatian
|kiam kato promenas, la musoj festenas
|ми о вуку, ми о вуку а вук на врата / mi o vuku, mi o vuku a vuk na vrata
|when the cats are gone, the mice feast
|we mention the wolf, and he enters the door
|-
|-
|Estonian
|Slovenian
|kui kassid läinud, on hiirtel pidu
|ti o volku volk iz gozda
|when the cats are gone, the mice have a party
|we speak of the wolf, the wolf comes from the forest
|-
|-
|Finnish
|South Levantine Arabic
|kun kissa on poissa, hiiret hyppivät pöydällä
|<div style="text-align:right">ابن الحلال عند ذكره ببان</div>
|when the cat is gone, the mice jump on the table
|the decent man appears with the mention
|-
|-
|French
|South Levantine Arabic
|quand le chat n'est pas là, les souris dansent
|<div style="text-align:right">ذكرنا القط، أجا ينط</div>
|when the cat isn't there, the mice dance
|we mentioned the cat and he came jumping
|-
|-
|German
|Spanish
|ist die Katze aus dem Haus, tanzen die Mäuse auf dem Tisch
|habla del rey de Roma, y asoma
|if the cat is out of the house, the mice dance on the table
|speak of the king of Rome, and he surprises you
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Swedish
|ha nincs otthon a macska, cincognak az egerek
|när man talar om trollen, står de i farstun
|if the cat is not home, the mice squeak
|when one speaks of the trolls, they're out in the hallway
|-
|-
|Icelandic
|Turkish
|þegar kötturinn er frá fara mýsnar á stjá
|iti an, çomağı hazırla
|when the cat is gone, the mice go to roost
|wait, prepare the stick
|-
|-
|Irish
|Ukrainian
|nuair a bhíonn an cat amuigh, bíonn na lucha ag rince
|про вовка промовка
|when the cat is out, the mice dance
|speaking of the wolf
|-
|-
|Italian
|Welsh
|quando il gatto non c'è, i topi ballano
|sonier am ddiawl, fe ymddengys y cythraul
|when the cat is away, the mice play
|mention the devil, the devil will appear
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Yiddish
|鬼いぬ間の洗濯
|<div style="text-align:right">מע זאל נאר דערמאנען משיחן‎</div>
|laundry when ogres are absent
|We should only mention the Christ
|}
 
== Prevent before it happens ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Arabic
|鼬無き間の貂誇り
|<div style="text-align:right">الوقاية خير من العلاج</div>
|pride of marten when weasels are absent
|prevention is better than cure
|-
|-
|Khmer
|Chinese
|ឆ្មាមិននៅ កណ្ដុរឡើងរាជ្យ
|未雨綢繆／未雨绸缪
|if cats are not there, mice reign
|bind the window tightly before it rains
|-
|-
|Kikuyu
|Chinese
|hiti ciathiĩ mbwe ciegangara
|防患未然／防患未然
|when hyenas go away, foxes play
|prevent trouble before it happens
|-
|-
|Kikuyu
|Danish
|ngatia ciathiĩ hiti cĩeragara
|det er bedre at forebygge end at helbrede
|when lions have gone, hyenas dance
|it is better to prevent than to cure
|-
|-
|Korean
|Dutch
|고양이가 없으면 쥐가 살판이 난다
|voorkomen is beter dan genezen
|if the cat is not there, the mice will eat
|prevention is better than cure
|-
|-
|Latin
|French
|audācem reddit fēlis absentia murem
|mieux vaut prévenir que guérir
|the absence of cat make the mouse bold
|prevention is better than cure
|-
|-
|Lower Sorbian
|English
|gaž jo kócor z domu, ga maju myšy swóju wólu
|prevention is better than cure
|when the cat's out of the house, the mice will have their will
|prevention is better than cure
|-
|-
|Luxembourgish
|German
|wann d’Kaz fort ass, sinn d’Mais Meeschter
|Vorbeugen ist besser als Heilen
|when the cat is gone, the mice are masters
|prevention is better than cure
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Japanese
|όταν λείπει η γάτα, χορεύουν τα ποντίκια
|予防は治療に勝る
|when the cat is away, the mice dance
|prevention is better than cure
|-
|-
|Northern Kurdish
|Malay
|kitik ne li mal e, navê mişkî Evdal e
|mencegah lebih baik daripada mengubati
|the kitten is not at home, the mouse's name is Evdal
|prevention is better than cure
|-
|-
|Norwegian
|Modern Greek
|når katten er borte, danser musene på bordet
|κάλλιον το προλαμβάνειν παρά το θεραπεύειν
|when the cat’s away, the mice are dancing on the table
|prevention is better than cure
|-
|-
|Persian
|Modern Greek
|<div style="text-align:right">در خانه کسی که گربه نباشد موش کدخداست‎</div>
|κάλλιον του θεραπεύειν το προλαμβάνειν
|in the house of the one who does not have a cat, there are mice
|prevention is better than cure
|-
|-
|Polish
|Polish
|gdy kota nie ma, myszy harcują
|lepiej zapobiegać niż leczyć
|when the cat is away, the mice play
|better to prevent than to cure
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Portuguese
|quando o gato sai, os ratos fazem a festa
|prevenir é melhor do que remediar
|when the cat is out, the mice play
|prevention is better than cure
|-
|Romanian
|când pisica nu-i acasă, joacă șoarecii pe masă
|when the cat isn't home, the mice are dancing on the table
|-
|-
|Russian
|Russian
|без кота мышам раздолье
|профилактика лучше лечения
|without the cat, it’s freedom to the mice
|prevention is better than cure
|-
|-
|Scottish Gaelic
|Spanish
|tha fios aig an luch nach eil an cat a-staigh
|mas vale prevenir que lamentar
|the mouse knows the cat is not inside
|prevention is better than regret
|-
|Serbian
|где мачке у кући нема ту мишеви коло воде
|where there are no cats in the house, there are mice around the water
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Spanish
|cuando el gato no está, los ratones bailan
|por si las moscas
|when the cat is not there, the mice dance
|just in case there are flies
|}
 
== Prominence invites trouble ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Chinese
|när katten är borta, dansar råttorna på bordet
|樹大招風／树大招风
|when the cat is away, the rats dance on the table
|big tree catches wind
|-
|-
|Telugu
|Dutch
|రౌతు మెత్తనైతే గుర్రం మూడు కాళ్ళ మీద పరిగెత్తుతుంది
|hoge bomen vangen veel wind
|if the rider is soft, the horse runs on three legs
|tall trees catch a lot of wind
|-
|Thai
|แมวไม่อยู่ หนูร่าเริง
|the cat is away, the mouse is cheerful
|-
|Vietnamese
|vắng chủ nhà, gà vọc niêu tôm
|when the owner is away from home, the chicken will peck the earthenware pot of shrimp
|}
|}
 
== Random people ==
== Something ruins everything else ==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!language
Line 3,299: Line 3,312:
!literal meaning
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Belarusian
|Afrikaans
|лыжка дзёгцю ў бочцы мёду
|Jan Rap en sy maat
|a spoonful of tar in a barrel of honey
|Jan Rap and his partner
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Albanian
|一顆老鼠屎壞了一鍋粥／一顆老鼠屎坏了一锅粥
|Filani apo Fisteku
|a piece of mouse shit ruins a pot of porridge
|Filani or Fisteku
|-
|-
|Danish
|Arabic
|hår i suppen
|<div style="text-align:right">فلان، علان وترتان</div>
|hair in the soup
|Fulàn, 'Illàn or Tirtàn
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Azerbaijani
|haar in de boter
|Ali, Vali, Pirvali
|hair in the butter
|Ali, Vali, Pirvali
|-
|-
|English
|Basque
|fly in the ointment
|Urlia, Sandia eta Berendia
|fly in the ointment
|Urlia, Sandia and Berendia
|-
|-
|English
|Bulgarian
|fly in the buttermilk
|Сульо и Пульо
|fly in the buttermilk
|Súljo and Púljo
|-
|-
|English
|Catalan
|turd in the punchbowl
|en Pau, en Pere i en Berenguera
|turd in the punchbowl
|Pau, Pere and Berenguera
|-
|-
|English
|Chinese
|worm in the apple
|阿貓阿狗／阿猫阿狗
|worm in the apple
|kitties and doggies
|-
|-
|French
|Chinese
|couille dans le pâté
|張三李四／张三李四
|testicle in the pâté
|the third son of Zhāng, the fourth son of Lǐ
|-
|-
|French
|Danish
|couille dans le potage
|gud og hvermand
|testicle in the soup
|God and every man
|-
|-
|German
|Dutch
|Haar in der Suppe
|Jan, Piet en Klaas
|hair in the soup
|Jan, Piet and Klaas
|-
|-
|Polish
|Dutch
|łyżka dziegciu w beczce miodu
|Jan en Alleman
|a spoonful of tar in a barrel of honey
|Jan and Alleman
|-
|-
|Russian
|English
|ложка дёгтя в бочке мёда
|Tom, Dick and Harry
|a spoonful of tar in a barrel of honey
|Tom, Dick and Harry
|-
|-
|Serbo-Croatian
|Finnish
|муха у јухи / muha u juhi
|mattimeikäläinen
|fly in the ointment
|Matt-someone
|-
|-
|Serbo-Croatian
|French
|муха у супи / muha u supi
|Pierre, Paul ou Jacques
|fly in the soup
|Pierre, Paul or Jacques
|-
|-
|Swedish
|German
|smolk i glädjebägaren
|Hans und Franz
|mote in the joy cup
|Hans and Franz
|-
|-
|Swedish
|German
|en droppe malört i glädjebägaren
|Hinz und Kunz
|a drop of wormwood in the joy cup
|Hinz and Kunz
|-
|-
|Ukrainian
|German
|ложка дьогтю в бочці ме́ду
|Krethi und Plethi
|a spoonful of tar in a barrel of honey
|Cherethites and Pelethites
|}
 
== Unfortunate events occur in quantity ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Arabic
|Hindi
|المصائب لا تأتي فرادى‎
|ऐरा-ग़ैरा नत्थू ख़ैरा
|misfortunes do not come alone
|Airā-Ġairā Natthū Xairā
|-
|-
|Catalan
|Hungarian
|les desgràcies mai no venen soles
|boldog-boldogtalan
|misfortunes do not come alone
|happy-unhappy
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Italian
|屋漏偏逢連夜雨／屋漏偏逢连夜雨
|Tizio, Caio e Sempronio
|the roof is leaking, several continuous nights of rain are following
|Tizio, Caio and Sempronio
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Japanese
|禍不單行／祸不单行
|猫も杓子も
|misfortunes do not come alone
|cats and ladles too
|-
|-
|Cimbrian
|Korean
|balda di khatz velt, di maüs tåntzan
|개나 소나
|when the cat is missing, the mice dance
|dogs or cows
|-
|-
|Czech
|Macedonian
|neštěstí nechodí nikdy samo
|Петко, Трајко и Круме
|misfortunes never come alone
|Petko, Trajko and Krume
|-
|-
|Czech
|Modern Greek
|když se to sere, tak se to sere
|κάθε καρυδιάς καρύδι
|when it shits, then it shits
|every walnut of the walnut tree
|-
|-
|Danish
|Norwegian
|en ulykke kommer sjældent alene
|Gud og hvermann
|a misfortune seldom comes alone
|God and every man
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Norwegian
|een ongeluk komt zelden alleen
|Per, Pål og Askeladden
|a misfortune seldom comes alone
|Per, Pål or Askeladden
|-
|-
|English
|Persian
|bad things come in threes
|<div style="text-align:right">اره و اوره و شمسی کوره‎</div>
|bad things come in threes
|Âre, Ure, Šamsi Kure
|-
|-
|English
|Portuguese
|it never rains but it pours
|Fulano, Beltrano e Cicrano
|it never rains but it pours
|Fulano, Beltrano and Cicrano
|-
|-
|Esperanto
|Portuguese
|malfeliĉo malofte venas sole
|Fulano, Sicrano e Beltrano
|a misfortune seldom comes alone
|Fulano, Sicrano and Beltrano
|-
|-
|Faroese
|Romanian
|sjáldan er ein báran støk
|Ion, Vasile, Gheorghe, Ana
|a wave seldome comes alone
|Ion, Vasile, Gheorghe, Ana
|-
|-
|Faroese
|Russian
|har ein skriðan er lopin er onnur væntandi
|Иванов, Петров, Сидоров
|when one landslide is over, another is waiting
|Ivanóv, Petróv, Sídorov
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Sardinian
|ei vahinko yksinään tule
|Fulanu, Bodale e Nighele
|the damage will not come alone
|Fulanu, Bodale and Nighele
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Serbo-Croatian
|kaikki on vastaan, vain saha puoltaa
|И Кунто и Панто / I Kunto i Panto
|everything is against me, only the saw pulls
|both Kunto and Panto
|-
|-
|French
|Serbo-Croatian
|un malheur ne vient jamais seul
|Пера, Мика, Лаза / Pera, Mika, Laza
|a misfortune never comes alone
|Pera, Mika, Laza
|-
|-
|German
|Serbo-Croatian
|ein Unglück kommt selten allein
|Марко и Трајко / Marko i Trajko
|a misfortune seldom comes alone
|Marko and Trajko
|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Spanish
|<div style="text-align:right">צרוֹת באות בצרורות‎</div>
|Fulano, Mengano y Sotano
|misfortunes come in packages
|Fulano, Mengano and Sotano
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Swedish
|a baj nem jár egyedül
|Joži or Džony
|trouble does not come alone
|Joži or Džony
|-
|-
|Icelandic
|Swedish
|sjaldan er ein báran stök
|Andersson, Pettersson och Lundström
|a wave seldome comes alone
|Andersson, Pettersson or Lundström
|-
|-
|Icelandic
|Tamil
|það er ýmist of eða van
|குப்பனோ சுப்பனோ
|it is either too much or too little
|Kuppaṉō or Cuppaṉō
|-
|-
|Italian
|Telugu
|i guai non vengono mai da soli
|అప్పారావు, సుబ్బారావు
|misfortunes never come alone
|Appārāvu, Subbārāvu
|-
|-
|Italian
|Turkish
|piove sul bagnato
|Ahmet, Mehmet
|it rains on the wet
|Ahmet, Mehmet
|-
|-
|Italian
|Turkish
|al peggio non c'è mai fine
|Ali, Veli
|there is no ending to worse
|Ali, Veli
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Urdu
|踏んだり蹴ったり
|<div style="text-align:right">ایراغیرہ نتھو خیرا‎</div>
|we often tread on and we often bump off
|Era Ġera, Nathu, Khera
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Welsh
|泣きっ面に蜂
|Twm, Dic neu Harri
|a wasp on a tearful face
|Twm, Dic or Harri
|}
 
== Stop fighting ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Catalan
|弱り目に祟り目
|enterrar la destral de guerra
|in times of weakness, evil eyes
|bury the hatchet
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Chinese
|降れば土砂降り
|化干戈為玉帛／化干戈为玉帛
|if it rains, it rains like pouring dirt and sand
|turn shields and spears into jade and silk
|-
|-
|Korean
|Czech
|불행은 겹친다
|zakopat válečnou sekeru
|misfortunes pile up
|bury the hatchet
|-
|-
|Latin
|Dutch
|aliud ex aliō malum
|de strijdbijl begraven
|one trouble after another
|bury the hatchet
|-
|-
|Latin
|English
|nūlla calamitās sōla
|bury the hatchet
|no misfortune is alone
|bury the hatchet
|-
|-
|Latin
|Finnish
|Fortūna obesse nūllī contenta est semel
|haudata sotakirves
|Fortune is never satisfied with hurting a man just once
|bury the hatchet
|-
|-
|Latin
|French
|aliō relinquente flūctū alius excēpit
|enterrer la hache de guerre
|one wave was letting me go, another one snatched me
|bury the hatchet
|-
|-
|Latin
|German
|dolor dolōrem trūdit et metus metum
|das Kriegsbeil begraben
|one sorrow presses hard on another, and one fear on another fear
|bury the hatchet
|-
|-
|Lithuanian
|Hungarian
|bėda viena nevaikšto
|elássa a csatabárdot
|trouble does not come alone
|bury the hatchet
|-
|-
|Luxembourgish
|Icelandic
|en Ongléck kënnt seelen eleng
|að grafa stríðsöxina
|a misfortune seldom comes alone
|bury the hatchet
|-
|Italian
|sotterrare l'ascia di guerra
|bury the hatchet
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Modern Greek
|ενός κακού, μύρια έπονται
|θάψτε το τσεκούρι του πολέμου
|one evil is followed by thousands
|bury the hatchet
|-
|-
|Norwegian Bokmål
|Norwegian Bokmål
|en ulykke kommer sjelden alene
|begrave stridsøksen
|a misfortune seldom comes alone
|bury the hatchet
|-
|Norwegian Nynorsk
|ei ulykke kjem sjeldan aleine
|a misfortune seldom comes alone
|-
|-
|Polish
|Polish
|nieszczęścia chodzą parami
|zakopać topór wojenny
|misfortunes walk in pairs
|bury the hatchet
|-
|Portuguese
|um mal nunca vem só
|a bad thing never comes alone
|-
|Portuguese
|uma desgraça nunca vem sozinha
|a misfortune never comes alone
|-
|Romanian
|o nenorocire nu vine niciodată singură
|a misfortune never comes alone
|-
|-
|Russian
|Russian
|пришла беда — отворяй ворота
|закопать топор войны
|when the trouble comes, open the gate
|bury the hatchet
|-
|-
|Russian
|Swedish
|беда не приходит одна
|begrava stridsyxan
|trouble does not come alone
|bury the hatchet
|}
 
== Subordinates take the advantage when their superior is absent ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|-
|Scottish Gaelic
|Afrikaans
|nuair a thig air duine, thig air uile
|as die kat weg is, is die muis baas
|when it befalls one, it befalls all
|when the cat's away, the mouse is boss
|-
|-
|Serbo-Croatian
|Chinese
|несрећа никада не долази сама / nesreća nikada ne dolazi sama
|山中無老虎，猴子稱大王／山中无老虎，猴子称大王
|misfortune never comes alone
|when there is no tiger in the mountain, the monkeys proclaim themselves kings
|-
|-
|Slovak
|Cimbrian
|nešťastie nechodí samo
|balda di khatz velt, di maüs tåntzan
|misfortune does not come alone
|when the cat is missing, the mice dance
|-
|-
|Slovenian
|Czech
|nesreča ne pride nikoli sama
|když kocour není doma, myši mají pré
|misfortune never come alone
|when the cat's away from home, the mice are having free time
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Danish
|las desgracias nunca vienen solas
|når katten er ude, spiller musene på bordet
|misfortunes never come alone
|when the cat is out, the mice is playing on the table
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Dutch
|cuando llueve, diluvia
|als de kat van huis is, dansen de muizen op tafel
|when it rains, it pours
|when the cat is not at home, the mice dance on the table
|-
|-
|Spanish
|English
|llueve sobre mojado
|when the cat's away the mice will play
|it rains on the wet
|when the cat's away the mice will play
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Esperanto
|si no quieres caldo, taza y media
|kiam kato promenas, la musoj festenas
|if you do not want broth, a bowl and a half
|when the cats are gone, the mice feast
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Estonian
|en olycka kommer sällan ensam
|kui kassid läinud, on hiirtel pidu
|a misfortune seldom comes alone
|when the cats are gone, the mice have a party
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Finnish
|när det regnar så öser det ner
|kun kissa on poissa, hiiret hyppivät pöydällä
|when it rains, it pours
|when the cat is gone, the mice jump on the table
|-
|French
|quand le chat n'est pas là, les souris dansent
|when the cat isn't there, the mice dance
|-
|German
|ist die Katze aus dem Haus, tanzen die Mäuse auf dem Tisch
|if the cat is out of the house, the mice dance on the table
|-
|-
|Thai
|Hungarian
|ความวัวไม่ทันหาย ความควายเข้ามาแทรก
|ha nincs otthon a macska, cincognak az egerek
|the condition of cows does not yet cease, the condition of buffaloes comes in to join
|if the cat is not home, the mice squeak
|-
|-
|Vietnamese
|Icelandic
|бі́да ні́коли сама́ не хо́дить
|þegar kötturinn er frá fara mýsnar á stjá
|trouble does not come alone
|when the cat is gone, the mice go to roost
|-
|-
|Vietnamese
|Irish
|họa vô đơn chí
|nuair a bhíonn an cat amuigh, bíonn na lucha ag rince
|misfortune never comes alone
|when the cat is out, the mice dance
|-
|-
|Walloon
|Italian
|on måleur ni vént måy tot seu
|quando il gatto non c'è, i topi ballano
|misfortune never comes alone
|when the cat is away, the mice play
|-
|-
|Walloon
|Japanese
|helynt ni ddaw ei hunan
|鬼いぬ間の洗濯
|laundry when ogres are absent
|-
|Japanese
|鼬無き間の貂誇り
|pride of marten when weasels are absent
|-
|Khmer
|ឆ្មាមិននៅ កណ្ដុរឡើងរាជ្យ
|if cats are not there, mice reign
|-
|Kikuyu
|hiti ciathiĩ mbwe ciegangara
|when hyenas go away, foxes play
|-
|Kikuyu
|ngatia ciathiĩ hiti cĩeragara
|when lions have gone, hyenas dance
|-
|Korean
|고양이가 없으면 쥐가 살판이 난다
|if the cat is not there, the mice will eat
|-
|Latin
|audācem reddit fēlis absentia murem
|the absence of cat make the mouse bold
|-
|Lower Sorbian
|gaž jo kócor z domu, ga maju myšy swóju wólu
|when the cat's out of the house, the mice will have their will
|-
|Luxembourgish
|wann d’Kaz fort ass, sinn d’Mais Meeschter
|when the cat is gone, the mice are masters
|-
|Modern Greek
|όταν λείπει η γάτα, χορεύουν τα ποντίκια
|when the cat is away, the mice dance
|-
|Northern Kurdish
|kitik ne li mal e, navê mişkî Evdal e
|the kitten is not at home, the mouse's name is Evdal
|-
|Norwegian
|når katten er borte, danser musene på bordet
|when the cat’s away, the mice are dancing on the table
|-
|Persian
|<div style="text-align:right">در خانه کسی که گربه نباشد موش کدخداست‎</div>
|in the house of the one who does not have a cat, there are mice
|-
|Polish
|gdy kota nie ma, myszy harcują
|when the cat is away, the mice play
|-
|Portuguese
|quando o gato sai, os ratos fazem a festa
|when the cat is out, the mice play
|-
|Romanian
|când pisica nu-i acasă, joacă șoarecii pe masă
|when the cat isn't home, the mice are dancing on the table
|-
|Russian
|без кота мышам раздолье
|without the cat, it’s freedom to the mice
|-
|Scottish Gaelic
|tha fios aig an luch nach eil an cat a-staigh
|the mouse knows the cat is not inside
|-
|Serbian
|где мачке у кући нема ту мишеви коло воде
|where there are no cats in the house, there are mice around the water
|-
|Spanish
|cuando el gato no está, los ratones bailan
|when the cat is not there, the mice dance
|-
|Swedish
|när katten är borta, dansar råttorna på bordet
|when the cat is away, the rats dance on the table
|-
|Telugu
|రౌతు మెత్తనైతే గుర్రం మూడు కాళ్ళ మీద పరిగెత్తుతుంది
|if the rider is soft, the horse runs on three legs
|-
|Thai
|แมวไม่อยู่ หนูร่าเริง
|the cat is away, the mouse is cheerful
|-
|Vietnamese
|vắng chủ nhà, gà vọc niêu tôm
|when the owner is away from home, the chicken will peck the earthenware pot of shrimp
|}
 
== Something ruins everything else ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|Belarusian
|лыжка дзёгцю ў бочцы мёду
|a spoonful of tar in a barrel of honey
|-
|Chinese
|一顆老鼠屎壞了一鍋粥／一顆老鼠屎坏了一锅粥
|a piece of mouse shit ruins a pot of porridge
|-
|Danish
|hår i suppen
|hair in the soup
|-
|Dutch
|haar in de boter
|hair in the butter
|-
|English
|fly in the ointment
|fly in the ointment
|-
|English
|fly in the buttermilk
|fly in the buttermilk
|-
|English
|turd in the punchbowl
|turd in the punchbowl
|-
|English
|worm in the apple
|worm in the apple
|-
|French
|couille dans le pâté
|testicle in the pâté
|-
|French
|couille dans le potage
|testicle in the soup
|-
|German
|Haar in der Suppe
|hair in the soup
|-
|Polish
|łyżka dziegciu w beczce miodu
|a spoonful of tar in a barrel of honey
|-
|Russian
|ложка дёгтя в бочке мёда
|a spoonful of tar in a barrel of honey
|-
|Serbo-Croatian
|муха у јухи / muha u juhi
|fly in the ointment
|-
|Serbo-Croatian
|муха у супи / muha u supi
|fly in the soup
|-
|Swedish
|smolk i glädjebägaren
|mote in the joy cup
|-
|Swedish
|en droppe malört i glädjebägaren
|a drop of wormwood in the joy cup
|-
|Ukrainian
|ложка дьогтю в бочці ме́ду
|a spoonful of tar in a barrel of honey
|}
 
== Unfortunate events occur in quantity ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|Arabic
|المصائب لا تأتي فرادى‎
|misfortunes do not come alone
|-
|Catalan
|les desgràcies mai no venen soles
|misfortunes do not come alone
|-
|Chinese
|屋漏偏逢連夜雨／屋漏偏逢连夜雨
|the roof is leaking, several continuous nights of rain are following
|-
|Chinese
|禍不單行／祸不单行
|misfortunes do not come alone
|-
|Cimbrian
|balda di khatz velt, di maüs tåntzan
|when the cat is missing, the mice dance
|-
|Czech
|neštěstí nechodí nikdy samo
|misfortunes never come alone
|-
|Czech
|když se to sere, tak se to sere
|when it shits, then it shits
|-
|Danish
|en ulykke kommer sjældent alene
|a misfortune seldom comes alone
|-
|Dutch
|een ongeluk komt zelden alleen
|a misfortune seldom comes alone
|-
|English
|bad things come in threes
|bad things come in threes
|-
|English
|it never rains but it pours
|it never rains but it pours
|-
|Esperanto
|malfeliĉo malofte venas sole
|a misfortune seldom comes alone
|-
|Faroese
|sjáldan er ein báran støk
|a wave seldome comes alone
|-
|Faroese
|har ein skriðan er lopin er onnur væntandi
|when one landslide is over, another is waiting
|-
|Finnish
|ei vahinko yksinään tule
|the damage will not come alone
|-
|Finnish
|kaikki on vastaan, vain saha puoltaa
|everything is against me, only the saw pulls
|-
|French
|un malheur ne vient jamais seul
|a misfortune never comes alone
|-
|German
|ein Unglück kommt selten allein
|a misfortune seldom comes alone
|-
|Hebrew
|<div style="text-align:right">צרוֹת באות בצרורות‎</div>
|misfortunes come in packages
|-
|Hungarian
|a baj nem jár egyedül
|trouble does not come alone
|-
|Icelandic
|sjaldan er ein báran stök
|a wave seldome comes alone
|-
|Icelandic
|það er ýmist of eða van
|it is either too much or too little
|-
|Italian
|i guai non vengono mai da soli
|misfortunes never come alone
|-
|Italian
|piove sul bagnato
|it rains on the wet
|-
|Italian
|al peggio non c'è mai fine
|there is no ending to worse
|-
|Japanese
|踏んだり蹴ったり
|we often tread on and we often bump off
|-
|Japanese
|泣きっ面に蜂
|a wasp on a tearful face
|-
|Japanese
|弱り目に祟り目
|in times of weakness, evil eyes
|-
|Japanese
|降れば土砂降り
|if it rains, it rains like pouring dirt and sand
|-
|Korean
|불행은 겹친다
|misfortunes pile up
|-
|Latin
|aliud ex aliō malum
|one trouble after another
|-
|Latin
|nūlla calamitās sōla
|no misfortune is alone
|-
|Latin
|Fortūna obesse nūllī contenta est semel
|Fortune is never satisfied with hurting a man just once
|-
|Latin
|aliō relinquente flūctū alius excēpit
|one wave was letting me go, another one snatched me
|-
|Latin
|dolor dolōrem trūdit et metus metum
|one sorrow presses hard on another, and one fear on another fear
|-
|Lithuanian
|bėda viena nevaikšto
|trouble does not come alone
|-
|Luxembourgish
|en Ongléck kënnt seelen eleng
|a misfortune seldom comes alone
|-
|Modern Greek
|ενός κακού, μύρια έπονται
|one evil is followed by thousands
|-
|Norwegian Bokmål
|en ulykke kommer sjelden alene
|a misfortune seldom comes alone
|-
|Norwegian Nynorsk
|ei ulykke kjem sjeldan aleine
|a misfortune seldom comes alone
|-
|Polish
|nieszczęścia chodzą parami
|misfortunes walk in pairs
|-
|Portuguese
|um mal nunca vem só
|a bad thing never comes alone
|-
|Portuguese
|uma desgraça nunca vem sozinha
|a misfortune never comes alone
|-
|Romanian
|o nenorocire nu vine niciodată singură
|a misfortune never comes alone
|-
|Russian
|пришла беда — отворяй ворота
|when the trouble comes, open the gate
|-
|Russian
|беда не приходит одна
|trouble does not come alone
|-
|Scottish Gaelic
|nuair a thig air duine, thig air uile
|when it befalls one, it befalls all
|-
|Serbo-Croatian
|несрећа никада не долази сама / nesreća nikada ne dolazi sama
|misfortune never comes alone
|-
|Slovak
|nešťastie nechodí samo
|misfortune does not come alone
|-
|Slovenian
|nesreča ne pride nikoli sama
|misfortune never come alone
|-
|Spanish
|las desgracias nunca vienen solas
|misfortunes never come alone
|-
|Spanish
|cuando llueve, diluvia
|when it rains, it pours
|-
|Spanish
|llueve sobre mojado
|it rains on the wet
|-
|Spanish
|si no quieres caldo, taza y media
|if you do not want broth, a bowl and a half
|-
|Swedish
|en olycka kommer sällan ensam
|a misfortune seldom comes alone
|-
|Swedish
|när det regnar så öser det ner
|when it rains, it pours
|-
|Thai
|ความวัวไม่ทันหาย ความควายเข้ามาแทรก
|the condition of cows does not yet cease, the condition of buffaloes comes in to join
|-
|Vietnamese
|бі́да ні́коли сама́ не хо́дить
|trouble does not come alone
|-
|Vietnamese
|họa vô đơn chí
|misfortune never comes alone
|-
|Walloon
|on måleur ni vént måy tot seu
|misfortune never comes alone
|-
|Walloon
|helynt ni ddaw ei hunan
|trouble does not come by itself
|trouble does not come by itself
|}
== Use excessive force ==
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!saying
!literal meaning
|-
|Chinese
|高射炮打蚊子／高射炮打蚊子
|to use an anti-aircraft gun to hit a mosquito
|-
|Chinese
|割雞焉用牛刀／割鸡焉用牛刀
|why use an cattle cleaver for killing a chicken
|-
|Chinese
|牛鼎烹雞／牛鼎烹鸡
|to use a cauldron for a cattle to cook a chicken
|-
|Czech
|jít s kanónem na vrabce
|to go shooting a cannon at a sparrow
|-
|Danish
|skyde spurve med kanoner
|to shoot sparrows with cannons
|-
|Dutch
|met een kanon op een mug schieten
|to shoot a mosquito with a cannon
|-
|English
|use a sledgehammer to crack a nut
|use a sledgehammer to crack a nut
|-
|Finnish
|ampua tykillä kärpästä
|to shoot at a fly with a cannon
|-
|French
|écraser une mouche avec un marteau
|to smash a fly with a hammer
|-
|French
|tuer une mouche avec un canon
|to kill a fly with a cannon
|-
|German
|mit Kanonen auf Spatzen schießen
|to shoot at sparrows with cannons
|-
|Italian
|sparare agli uccellini col cannone
|to shoot at little birds with a cannon
|-
|Kannada
|ಗುಬ್ಬಿ ಮೇಲೆ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಾಸ್ತ್ರ
|to strike a sparrow with the brahmāstra
|-
|Norwegian Bokmål
|skyte spurv med kanoner
|to shoot sparrows with cannons
|-
|Norwegian Nynorsk
|skyte sporv med kanonar
|to shoot sparrows with cannons
|-
|Polish
|strzelać z armaty do muchy impf
|to shoot a cannon at a fly
|-
|Russian
|палить из пушки по воробьям
|to fire a cannon at sparrows
|-
|Spanish
|matar moscas a cañonazos
|to kill flies with cannon shots
|-
|Swedish
|skjuta sparvar med kanoner
|to shoot sparrows with cannons
|-
|Telugu
|పిచ్చుక మీద బ్రహ్మాస్త్రము
|to strike a sparrow with the brahmāstra
|-
|Thai
|ขี่ช้างจับตั๊กแตน
|to ride an elephant to catch a grasshopper
|-
|Welsh
|cymryd gordd i dorri cneuen
|to take a sledgehammer to crack a nut
|}
|}


{{other-lessons}}
{{other-lessons}}

Latest revision as of 20:49, 23 March 2025

Saying with Similar Meanings in Many languages
Polyglot sayings2.jpg

Hi polyglots 😊

This is the perfect lesson for polyglots! You'll be able to learn sayings with similar meanings in many languages!

In the list below, you'll find idioms, proverbs & saying with similar meanings in different languages.

Feel free to edit the tables below if some saying or languages are missing.

This page has a child: Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Common-Allusions.

[In progress]

Achieve two goals with one action[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Afrikaans twee vlieë met een klap slaan hit two flies in one slap
Arabic
ضرب عصفورين بحجر واحد‎
 hit two sparrows with one stone
Armenian մի գնդակով երկու նապաստակ խփել hit two rabbits with one bullet
Azerbaijani bir güllə ilə iki dovşan vurmaq hit two rabbits with one bullet
Bengali এক ঢিলে দুই পাখি মারা hit two birds with one stone
Breton lazhañ div voualc'h gant ur maen kill two birds with one stone
Bulgarian да убиеш с един куршум два заека kill two rabbits with one bullet
Catalan matar dos pardals d'un tret kill two birds with one stone
Central Kurdish
بە بەردێک دوو چۆلەکە بکوژە‎
 kill two frogs with one stone
Chinese 一箭雙鵰／一箭双雕 one arrow, two eagles
Chinese 一石二鳥／一石二鸟 one stone, two birds
Czech zabít dvě mouchy jednou ranou kill two flies with one hit
Danish slå to fluer med et smæk hit two flies with one slap
Dutch twee vliegen in één klap slaan hit two flies in one slap
English kill two birds with one stone kill two birds with one stone
Esperanto trafi du celojn per unu ŝtono hit two targets with one stone
Estonian tapma kaks kärbest ühe hoobiga kill two flies in one slap
Finnish tappaa kaksi kärpästä yhdellä iskulla kill two flies in one slap
French faire d’une pierre deux coups use a stone for two hits
Georgian ერთი გასროლით ორი კურდღლის მოკვლა kill two rabbits with one shot
German zwei Fliegen mit einer Klappe schlagen hit two flies in one slap
Hebrew
לתפוס שתי ציפורים במכה אחת
 catch two birds with one stone
Hungarian két legyet üt egy csapásra kill two birds with one stone
Icelandic slá tvær flugur í einu höggi hit two flies in one slap
Indonesian sekali mendayung, dua-tiga pulau terlampaui reach two-three islands with one rowing stroke
Irish dhá éan a mharú leis an urchar amháin kill two birds with one shot
Italian prendere due piccioni con una fava catch two pigeons with one fava bean
Iranian Persian
با یک تیر دو نشان زدن‎
 hitting two targets with one arrow
Japanese 一石二鳥 one stone, two birds
Kazakh бір оқпен екі қоян ату kill two birds with one shot
Korean 일석이조 one stone, two birds
Latin Duo parietes de eadem fidelia dealbare whitewash two walls out of the same bucket
Latvian nošaut divus zaķus ar vienu šāvienu shoot two bunnies with one shot
Lithuanian vienu šūviu nušauti du zuikius shoot two rabbits with one shot
Luxembourgish zwou Mécken op ee Schlag kréien kill two birds with one stone
Malay sambil menyelam minum air submerge and drink at the same time
Mongolian нэг сумаар хоёр туулай буудах kill two hares with one bullet
Modern Greek μ' ένα σμπάρο δυο τρυγόνια with one shot, two pigeons
Norwegian Bokmål slå to fluer i en smekk hit two flies in one slap
Norwegian Nynorsk slå to fluger i ein smekk hit two flies in one slap
Polish upiec dwie pieczenie na jednym ogniu cook two roasts on one fire
Portuguese matar dois coelhos com uma cajadada só kill two rabbits with a single crook blow
Romanian omorî două muște dintr-o lovitură hit two flies in one slap
Romanian împușca doi iepuri dintr-un foc kill two rabbits with one bullet
Russian убить одним выстрелом двух зайцев kill two hares with one shot
Serbo-Croatian убити једним ударцем двије мухе / ùbiti jèdnīm ùdārcem dvȉje mùhe hit two flies in one slap
Sinhala එක ගලෙන් කුරුල්ලෝ දෙන්නයි two birds by one stone
Spanish matar dos pájaros de un tiro kill two birds with one shot
Swedish slå två flugor i en smäll hit two flies in one slap
Tamil ఒకేదెబ్బకు రెండు పిట్టలు two birds with one stone
Thai ยิงปืนนัดเดียวได้นกสองตัว shoot two birds with one stone
Turkish bir taşla iki kuş vurmak hit two birds with one stone
Ukrainian вбити двох зайців одним пострілом kill two hares in one shot
Vietnamese nhất tiễn song điêu one arrow, two eagles
Vietnamese một mũi tên trúng hai đích two targets with one arrow
Welsh lladd dau aderyn â'r un garreg kill two birds with one stone
Yiddish
שיסן צוויי האזן מיט איין שאס‎
 shoot two hares with one shot

Achievements require patience[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Amharic ሮም፡በአንድ፡ቀን፡አልተገነባችም Rome wasn't built in a day
Arabic
لم تبن روما في يوم
 Rome wasn't built in a day
Bulgarian хубавите неща стават бавно good things happen slowly
Chinese 冰凍三尺，非一日之寒／冰冻三尺，非一日之寒 three chǐ (~3×30 centimetres) of ice is not the result of one day's coldness
Chinese 羅馬不是一日建成的／罗马不是一日建成的 Rome wasn't built in a day
Danish Rom blev ikke bygget på en dag Rome wasn't built in a day
Dutch Keulen en Aken zijn niet op één dag gebouwd Cologne and Aachen were not built in a day
Dutch Rome is niet op één dag gebouwd Rome wasn't built in a day
English Rome wasn't built in a day Rome wasn't built in a day
Esperanto ne en unu tago elkreskis Kartago Carthage was not grown in a day
Estonian Roomat ei ehitatud ühe päevaga Rome wasn't built in a day
Finnish ei Roomaakaan päivässä rakennettu not even Rome was built in a day
French Paris ne s'est pas fait en un jour Paris wasn't built in a day
French Rome ne s'est pas faite en un jour Rome wasn't built in a day
Galician Roma non se fixo nun día Rome wasn't built in a day
German Rom ist nicht an einem Tag erbaut worden Rome wasn't built in a day
Gujarati ઉતાવળે આંબા ન પાકે mangoes should not ripen in haste
Hebrew
רומא לא נבנתה ביום אחד‎
 Rome wasn't built in a day
Hungarian Róma sem egy nap alatt épült Rome wasn't built in a day either
Icelandic Róm var ekki byggð á einum degi Rome wasn't built in a day
Ido Roma ne konstruktesis dum un dio Rome wasn't built in a day
Indonesian Roma tidak dibangun dalam sehari Rome wasn't built in a day
Irish i ndiaidh a chéile a thógtar na caisleáin the castles are built one after another
Italian Roma non fu fatta in un giorno Rome wasn't built in a day
Japanese ローマは一日にして成らず Rome wasn't built in a day
Korean 로마는 하루 아침에 이루어지지 않았다 Rome wasn't built in a day
Latin Rōma nōn ūnō diē aedificāta est Rome wasn't built in a day
Lithuanian Roma nebuvo pastatyta per dieną Rome wasn't built in a day
Modern Greek η Ρώμη δε χτίστηκε σε μια μέρα Rome wasn't built in a day
Norwegian Bokmål Rom ble ikke bygget på en dag Rome wasn't built in a day
Norwegian Nynorsk Roma vart ikkje bygd på éin dag Rome wasn't built in a day
Polish nie od razu Kraków zbudowano Cracow wasn't built in a day
Polish nie od razu Rzym zbudowano Rome wasn't built in a day
Portuguese Roma e Pavia não se fizeram num dia Rome wasn't built in a day
Russian Москва не сразу строилась Moscow wasn’t built at once
Scottish Gaelic chan ann leis a' chiad bhuille a thuiteas a' chraobh it is not with the first strike that the tree will fall
Spanish no se ganó Zamora en una hora Zamora was not won in an hour
Spanish Roma no se hizo en un día Rome wasn't built in a day
Swedish Rom byggdes inte på en dag Rome wasn't built in a day
Thai กรุงโรมไม่ได้สร้างเสร็จในวันเดียว Rome wasn't built in a day
Turkish sabreden derviş muradına ermiş the patient dervish achieved his wish
Ukrainian Київ не відразу збудований Kyiv wasn't built immediately
Ukrainian Рим не одразу збудований Rome wasn't built immediately
Welsh nid mewn undydd y codwyd Rhufain Rome wasn't built in a day

Aged woman dressed in young clothings[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Dutch van achteren lyceum, van voren museum from behind like grammar school, from the front like museum
English mutton dressed as lamb mutton dressed as lamb
Finnish karitsaksi pukeutunut lammas mutton dressed as lamb
German von hinten Lyzeum, von vorne Museum from behind like grammar school, from the front like museum
Polish z tyłu liceum, z przodu muzeum from behind like grammar school, from the front like museum

Appearance makes a difference[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Afrikaans die vere maak die voël the feathers make the bird
Danish klæder skaber folk clothes make the man
Dutch kleren maken de man clothes make the man
Chinese 人靠衣裝，佛靠金裝／人靠衣装，佛靠金装 human relies on clothes, Buddha relies on the clothing of gold
English fine feathers make fine birds fine feathers make fine birds
Finnish vaatteet tekevät miehen clothes make the man
French la belle plume fait le bel oiseau the beautiful feathers make the beautiful bird
German Kleider machen Leute clothes make the man
Irish eochair uaisle éadach clothes is the key to nobility
Korean 옷이 날개다 clothes make the man
Polish jak cię widzą, tak cię piszą how they see you is how they perceive you
Russian одежда красит человека tailor makes the man

Appearance makes a difference not[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Arabic
ا يمكنك الحكم على كتاب من غلافه
 you can't judge a book by its cover
Chinese 人不可貌相 man is not to be judged by the appearance
Czech šaty nedělají člověka clothes don't make the man
Danish man skal ikke skue hunden på hårene you must not look at the dog's hair
English clothes don't make the man clothes don't make the man
English you can't judge a book by its cover you can't judge a book by its cover
Finnish vaatteet eivät tee miestä clothes don't make the man
German Kleider machen keine Leute clothes don't make the man
Hungarian nem a ruha teszi az embert it is not the clothes that make the man
Italian l'abito non fa il monaco the habit does not make the monk
Japanese 馬子にも衣装 even packhorse drivers also wear clothes
Latin barba non facit philosophum the beard does not make the philosopher
Latin cucullus non facit monachum the cowl does not make the monk
Modern Greek τα ράσα δεν κάνουν τον παπά dressing doesn't make the pope
Polish nie szata zdobi człowieka clothes don't make the man
Portuguese o hábito não faz o monge the habit does not make the monk
Romanian nu haina îl face pe om it is not the clothes that make the man
Russian по одёжке встречают, по уму провожают meet by clothes, see off by the mind
Russian на вид пригож, а внутри на чёрта похож looks good, but looks like devil inside
Serbo-Croatian одело не чини човека / odelo ne čini čoveka the suits does not make the man
Slovenian obleka ne naredi človeka clothes don't make the man
Spanish el hábito no hace al monje the habit does not make the monk

Apples are healthy[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Chinese 一日一蘋果，醫生遠離我 / 一日一苹果，医生远离我 an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Danish et æble om dagen holder doktoren borte an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Esperanto pomo ĉiun tagon forturnas malsanon an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Finnish omena päivässä pitää lääkärin loitolla an apple a day keeps the doctor away
French omena päivässä pitää lääkärin loitolla an apple a day keeps the doctor away
German ein Apfel pro Tag hält den Doktor fern an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Hebrew
קח פרי ותהיה לי בריא
 an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Hungarian minden nap egy alma az orvost távol tartja an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Icelandic epli á dag kemur heilsunni í lag an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Italian una mela al giorno toglie il medico di torno an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Japanese 一日一個のりんごで医者しらず an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Malay makan sebiji epal sehari, tak perlu berjumpa dengan doktor lagi an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Modern Greek ένα μήλο την ημέρα, τον γιατρό τον κάνει πέρα an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Polish jabłko dziennie trzyma lekarza z dala an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Portuguese uma maçã por dia traz saúde e alegria an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Russian каждый день яблоко одно — врачу оставаться далеко an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Slovenian eno jabolko na dan, odžene zdravnika stran an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Spanish una manzana al día mantiene al médico en la lejanía an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Swedish ett äpple om dagen håller doktorn borta an apple a day keeps the doctor away

Be patient[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Chinese 好事多磨／好事多磨 good things require much rubbing
Czech kdo si počká, ten se dočká those who wait will see
Czech trpělivost růže přináší patience brings roses
Danish alt godt kommer til den der venter all good things come to those who wait
Dutch geduld is een schone zaak patience is a virtual
English good things come to those who wait good things come to those who wait
English patience is a virtue patience is a virtue
Finnish kärsivällisyys on hyve patience is a virtue
Finnish maltti on valttia patience is a trump
French tout vient à point à qui sait attendre good things come to those who wait
Georgian ვინც მოითმენსო, ის მოიგებსო he who endures will win
German Geduld ist eine Tugend patience is a virtue
German gut Ding will Weile haben a good thing wants to have a while
German was lange währt, wird endlich gut something that takes a long time will finally be good
Hungarian a türelem rózsát terem patience produces roses
Italian dare tempo al tempo give time to time
Italian la pazienza è la virtù dei forti patience is the virtue of the storng
Italian la pazienza è una virtù provata patience is a proven virtue
Japanese 果報は寝て待て results are sleeping and waiting
Japanese 待てば海路の日和あり waiting for fair weather at a sea route
Maltese il-paċenzja hija virtù patience is a virtue
Modern Greek το καλό πράγμα αργεί να γίνει the good thing is late to happen
Norwegian den som venter på noe stort, venter aldri for lenge he who waits for something great never waits too long
Norwegian tålmodighet er en dyd patience is a virtue
Portuguese quem espera sempre alcança who waits always reaches
Portuguese a paciência é uma virtude patience is a virtue
Russian кто ждёт, тот дождётся who waits will wait
Spanish la paciencia es una virtud patience is a virtue
Spanish las mejores cosas de la vida se hacen esperar the best things in life are made to wait
Spanish lo bueno se hace esperar the good things make you wait
Swedish den som väntar på något gott, väntar aldrig för länge he who waits for something good never waits too long
Swedish tålamod är en dygd patience is a virtue
Turkish bekleyen derviş muradına ermiş the waiting dervish got his wish

Certain benefit is preferable even if it is little[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Arabic
عصفور في اليد أفضل من عصفورين على الشجرة
 a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush
Armenian փորձված թանը անփորձ մածունի հետ չեն փոխի seasoned butter will not be exchanged for unseasoned yogurt
Chinese 一鳥在手勝於十鳥在林／一鸟在手胜于十鸟在林 a bird in the hand is better than ten in the forest
Croatian bolje vrabac u ruci nego golub na grani better a sparrow in the hand than a dove on the branch
Czech epší vrabec v hrsti, nežli holub na střeše better a sparrow in the hand than a pigeon on the roof
Danish en fugl i hånden er bedre end ti på taget a bird in the hand is better than ten on the roof
Dutch beter één vogel in de hand dan tien in de lucht better one bird in the hand than ten in the sky
English a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
English better an egg today than a hen tomorrow better an egg today than a hen tomorrow
Estonian parem varblane peos kui tuvi katusel better a sparrow in the hand than a pigeon on the roof
Finnish parempi pyy pivossa kuin kymmenen oksalla better a hazel grouse in the hand than ten on the branch
French à la main vaut mieux que grue qui vole a sparrow in hand is worth more than a frying crane
French un tiens vaut mieux que deux tu l'auras a here-you-go is worth more than two you-can-have-it-laters
Galician vale máis paxaro na man que cento voando a bird in the hand is worth more than a hundred in flight
Georgian დღევანდელი კვერცხი ჯობია ხვალინდელ ქათამს today's egg is better than tomorrow's chicken
German besser ein Spatz in der Hand als eine Taube auf dem Dach rather a sparrow in the hand than a pigeon on the roof
Hebrew
טוב ציפור אחת ביד משתיים על העץ
 rather one bird in the hand two on the tree
Hungarian jobb ma egy veréb, mint holnap egy túzok better a sparrow today than a bustard tomorrow
Icelandic betri er einn fugl í hendi en tveir í skógi one bird in a hand is better than two in the forest
Italian meglio un uovo oggi che una gallina domani better an egg today than a hen tomorrow
Japanese 明日の百より今日の五十 today's 50 over tomorrow's 100
Korean 손안에 있는 새가 숲속에 있는 두 마리보다 낫다 a bird in the hand is better than two in the forest
Latvian labāk zīle rokā, nekā mednis kokā rather a titmouse in hand than a wood grouse in a tree
Luxembourgish Léiwer e Spatz an der Hand wei eng Dauf um Daach rather a sparrow in the hand than a pigeon on the roof
Macedonian поарно врапче на рака отколку гулаб на гранка better a sparrow on a hand than a pigeon on a branch
Maltese aħjar għasfur f'idejk minn mija fl-ajru better to have a bird in your hands than a hundred in the air
Modern Greek κάλλιο πέντε και στο χέρι παρά δέκα και καρτέρει rather hold five in hand than wait for ten to come
Norwegian Bokmål én fugl i hånden er bedre enn ti på taket a bird in the hand is better than ten on the roof
Norwegian Nynorsk ein fugl i handa er betre enn ti på taket a bird in the hand is better than ten on the roof
Polish lepszy wróbel w garści niż gołąb na dachu a sparrow in the hand is better than a pigeon on the roof
Polish lepszy wróbel w ręku niż cietrzew na sęku a sparrow in the hand is better than a grouse on the knur
Polish lepszy wróbel w ręku niż sokół na sęku a sparrow in the hand is better than a falcon on the knur
Portuguese mais vale um pássaro na mão do que dois voando one bird in the hand is worth more than two flying
Romanian nu da vrabia din mână pe cioara de pe gard don't exchange the sparrow in the hand with the crow on the fence
Russian не сули журавля в небе, дай синицу в руки do not promise a crane in the sky, rather give a titmouse into my hands
Scottish Gaelic 's fhearr eun san làimh na deich air iteig a bird in the hand is better than ten in flight
Serbo-Croatian боље врабац у руци него голуб на грани / bolje vrabac u ruci nego golub na grani better a sparrow in the hand than a dove on the branch
Slovak lepší vrabec v hrsti ako holub na streche better a sparrow in a handful than a pigeon on a roof
Spanish más vale pájaro en mano que ciento volando a bird in the hand is worth more than one hundred in flight
Swedish bättre en fågel i handen än tio i skogen better a bird in the hand than ten in the forest
Turkish bir eldeki kuş çalıdakinin iki misli değerdir a bird in hand is worth twice as much in a bush
Vietnamese một con chim trong tay có giá trị hơn hai con trong bụi cây one bird in the hand is worth more than two in the bush
Welsh gwell bach mewn llaw na mawr gerllaw better small in hand than large nearby

Circumstances of others seem better[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Arabic طبيخ الجارة نوارة، وطبيخ أهل الدار مرار Nawara's neighbor's cooking, and the people of the house's cooking are bitter
Bengali ঘাস অন্য দিকে সবসময় সবুজ the grass is always greener on the other side
Catalan l'herba sempre és més verda a l'altra banda the grass is always greener on the other side
Chinese 外國的月亮比較圓／外国的月亮比较圆 the moon in foreign countries is rounder
Danish græsset er altid grønnere på den anden side af hækken the grass is always greener on the other side of the hedges
Dutch het gras is altijd groener aan de overkant the grass is always greener on the other side
Esperanto herbaro ĉiam aspektas pli verda trans barilo the grass always look greener on the other side of a fence
Finnish ruoho on aina vihreämpää aidan toisella puolella The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
French l’herbe est toujours plus verte ailleurs the grass is always greener on the other side
Galician a vaca da veciña dá máis leite cá miña the neighbor's cow gives more milk than mine
German die Kirschen aus Nachbars Garten schmecken immer besser the cherries from the neighbor's garden always taste better
Hebrew
הדשא של השכן ירק יותר
 the neighbor's grass is greener
Hindi दूर के ढोल सुहावने things owned by other people look good
Hindi दूर के ढोल सुहावने लगते हैं distant drums sound pleasant
Hindi दूसरे की थाली में घी अधिक दिखाई देता है ghee appears to be more in someone else’s plate
Hungarian a szomszéd rétje mindig zöldebb the neighbour's meadow is always greener
Indonesian rumput tetangga selalu terlihat lebih hijau the grass always looks greener on the other side
Irish is glas na cnoic a bhfad uainn green are the hills that are far from us
Italian l'erba del vicino è sempre più verde the neighbor's grass is always greener
Japanese 隣の芝生は青い the neighbor's lawn is green
Japanese 隣の花は赤い the neighbor's flowers are red
Korean 남의 떡이 더 커 보인다 the other person's rice cake seems bigger
Kurdish dengê defe ji dûr ve xweş e the sound of the drum is pleasant from a distance
Malay hujan emas di negeri orang, hujan batu di negeri sendiri golden rain in other countries, stone rain in one's own country
Malayalam അക്കരെ നിന്നാൽ ഇക്കരെ പച്ച if you stand on the other shore, this side is greener
Marathi दुरून डोंगर साजरे appreciate the mountains from afar
Modern Greek του γείτονα είναι πάντα καλύτερο the neighbor's is always better
Norwegian Bokmål gresset er alltid grønnere på den andre siden the grass is always greener on the other side
Norwegian Nynorsk graset er alltid grønare på den andre sida the grass is always greener on the other side
Polish wszędzie dobrze, gdzie nas nie ma it is good everywhere where we are not
Portuguese a grama do vizinho é sempre mais verde the neighbor's grass is always greener
Russian соседняя очередь всегда движется быстрее the other queue always moves faster
Russian там хорошо, где нас нет it is good everywhere where we are not
Russian в чужих руках толще thicker in other people's hands
Scottish Gaelic 's e miann na lacha an loch air nach bi i the duck's desire is the lake it is not on
Scottish Gaelic tha iteagan bòidheach air na h-eòin a tha fad às the birds that are far away have beautiful feathers
Scottish Gaelic is gorm na cnuic a tha fada bhuainn green are the hills that are far from us
Spanish la hierba siempre es más verde del otro lado the grass is always greener on the other side
Swedish gräset är alltid grönare på andra sidan the grass is always greener on the other side
Telugu దూరపు కొండలు నునుపు the far off mountains appear to be smooth
Turkish davulun sesi uzaktan hoş gelir the distant drum sounds pleasant
Ukrainian добре там, де нас нема it is better there, where we are not
Ukrainian у сусі́да хата білі́ша the neighbor's house is whiter
Yue Chinese 隔籬飯香／隔篱饭香 the meal of the neighbors smells better

Complete surprise[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Bulgarian като гръм от ясно небе like a bolt from the clear sky
Chinese 晴天霹靂／晴天霹雳 bolt from the clear sky
Croatian bolje vrabac u ruci nego golub na grani better a sparrow in the hand than a dove on the branch
Czech blesk z čistého nebe bolt from the clear sky
Danish som et lyn fra en klar himmel like a bolt out of the clear sky
English boolt from the blue boolt from the blue
Finnish salama kirkkaalta taivaalta lightning bolt out of a clear sky
German Blitz aus heiterem Himmel lightning bolt from the clear sky
Hebrew
טכרעם ביום בהיר
 like thunder on a clear day
Hungarian derült égből villámcsapás thunderbolt from the clear sky
Icelandic eins og þruma úr heiðskíru lofti like a thunder from the clear sky
Indonesian petir di siang bolong lightning in broad daylight
Japanese 青天の霹靂 thunderbolt on the blue sky
Korean 청천 벽력과 같이 like a thunderstorm
Latvian kā pērkons no skaidrām debesīm like a thunder from the clear sky
Lithuanian lyg perkūnas iš giedro dangaus like a thunder from the clear sky
Modern Greek κεραυνός εν αιθρία lightning in the clear sky
Norwegian Bokmål som lyn fra klar himmel like lightning from the clear sky
Polish grom z jasnego nieba thunderbolt from the clear sky
Russian гром среди ясного неба thunder from a clear sky
Scottish Gaelic clach às an adhar stone from the clear sky
Serbo-Croatian као гром из ведра неба / kao grom iz vedra neba like a thunder from the bucket of heaven
Slovak lepší vrabec v hrsti ako holub na streche better a sparrow in a handful than a pigeon on a roof
Spanish como rayo caído del cielo like a lightning fallen from the sky
Swedish som en blixt från klar himmel like a lightning bolt out of a clear sky

Destroy one's paths, connections or opportunities[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Arabic
حرق السفن
 burning the ship
Arabic
قطع الجسور
 cutting the bridge
Chinese 過河拆橋／过河拆桥 cross the river, tear down the bridge
Chinese 破釜沉舟／破釜沉舟 smash the cooking pots and sink the boats
Dutch je schepen achter je verbranden burning your ships behind you
Danish bryde alle broer burn all bridges
Danish brænde alle broer break all bridges
English burning one's bridges burning one's bridges
French brûler les ponts burn the bridges
French brûler ses vaisseaux burn his ships
French faire sauter les ponts blow up the bridges
German alle Brücken hinter sich abbrechen burning all bridges behind oneself
Icelandic brenna allar brýr að baki sér burn all bridges behind oneself
Icelandic brjóta allar brýr að baki sér break all bridges behind oneself
Italian bruciarsi i ponti alle spalle burn the bridges behind
Modern Greek Η αναπνοή είναι η γέφυρα που συνδέει τη ζωή με τη συνείδηση Breathing is the bridge which unites life to consciousness
Norwegian Bokmål bryte alle broer burn all bridges
Norwegian Nynorsk bryte alle bruer burn all bridges
Polish palić za sobą mosty burn the bridges behind
Portuguese queimar as pontes burn the bridges
Russian сжигать все мосты burn the bridges
Spanish quemar las naves burn the ships
Spanish quemar los puentes burn the bridges
Swedish bränna sina broar burn the bridges
Swedish bränna sina skepp burn their ships

Difficult task has a start[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Arabic
رحلة الألف ميل تبدأ بخطوة واحدة
 a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Chinese 千里之行，始於足下／千里之行，始于足下 a journey of a thousand lǐ (1000×405 meters) begins with a single step
Czech cesta dlouhá tisíc mil začíná jedním krokem a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Dutch een reis van duizend mijlen begint met een enkele stap a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Esperanto milmejla vojaĝo komenciĝas per unu paŝo a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Estonian tuhande miiline rännak algab esimesest sammust a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Finnish pisinkin matka alkaa yhdellä askeleella a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
French un voyage de mille lieues commence toujours par un premier pas a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
German eine Reise von tausend Meilen beginnt mit dem ersten Schritt a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Hebrew
גם מסע של אלף מייל מתחיל בצעד אחד קטן
 a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Hindi हजार कोसों का सफर भी एक पैर उठाने से ही शुरू होता है a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Hungarian az ezer mérföldes utazás is egyetlen lépéssel kezdődik a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Italian un viaggio di mille miglia comincia con il primo passo a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Japanese 千里の道も一歩から a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Korean 천 리 길도 한 걸음부터 a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Lithuanian tūkstančio mylių kelionė prasideda žengus vieną žingsnį a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Modern Greek ένα ταξίδι χιλίων μιλίων ξεκινά με ένα μόνο βήμα a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Norwegian en vandring på tusen mil starter med ett enkelt skritt a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Polish podróż tysiąca mil zaczyna się od jednego kroku a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Portuguese uma viagem de mil milhas começa com um único passo a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Romanian o călătorie de o mie de mile începe cu un singur pas a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Russian путь в ты́сячу вёрст начина́ется с пе́рвого ша́га a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Serbo-Croatian далеко путованје починје првим кораком / daleko putovanje počinje prvim korakom a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Slovenian potovanje daleč se začne s prvim korakom a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Spanish un viaje de mil millas comienza con un solo paso a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Tagalog ang mahabang paglalakbay ay nagsimula sa isang hakbang a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Thai หนทางไกลนับพันลี้เริ่มต้นจากก้าวแรก a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Turkish binlerce kilometrelik yolculuk bile tek bir adımla başlar a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Ukrainian шлях у ти́сячу миль почина́ється з одного́ кро́ку a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Vietnamese hành trình ngàn dặm bắt đầu từ một bước đi a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step

Do not invite suspicions[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Chinese 瓜田不納履，李下不整冠／瓜田不纳履，李下不整冠 don't adjust the shoes in a melon field, don't organise the hat under a plum tree
Japanese 瓜田に履を納れず、李下に冠を正さず don't adjust the shoes in a melon field, don't organise the hat under a plum tree
Korean 과전불납리, 이하부정관 don't adjust the shoes in a melon field, don't organise the hat under a plum tree

False display of sorrow[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Arabic
دموع التماسيح
 crocodile tears
Armenian կոկորդիլոսի արցունքներ crocodile tears
Catalan llàgrimes de cocodril crocodile tears
Chinese 貓哭耗子／猫哭耗子 cat weeping for a mouse
Chinese 鱷魚的眼淚／鳄鱼的眼泪 crocodile tears
Czech krokodýlí slzy crocodile tears
Danish krokodilletårer crocodile tears
Dutch krokodillentranen crocodile tears
English crocodile tears crocodile tears
Finnish krokotiilinkyyneleet crocodile tears
French larmes de crocodile crocodile tears
Galician bágoas de crocodilo crocodile tears
German Krokodilstränen crocodile tears
Hebrew
דמעות תנין‎
 crocodile tears
Hungarian krokodilkönnyek crocodile tears
Icelandic krókódílstár crocodile tears
Indonesian air mata buaya crocodile tears
Iranian Persian
اشک تمساح‎‎
 crocodile tears
Italian lacrime di coccodrillo crocodile tears
Korean 악어의 눈물 crocodile tears
Lithuanian krokodilo ašaros crocodile tears
Malayalam മുതലക്കണ്ണീർ crocodile tears
Modern Greek κροκοδείλια δάκρυα crocodile tears
Norwegian krokodilletårer crocodile tears
Polish krokodyle łzy crocodile tears
Portuguese lágrimas de crocodilo crocodile tears
Romansch larmas da crocodil crocodile tears
Russian крокодиловы слёзы crocodile tears
Scottish Gaelic deòir nam breugan crocodile tears
Spanish lágrimas de cocodrilo crocodile tears
Swedish krokodiltårar crocodile tears
Telugu మొసలి కన్నీళ్లు crocodile tears
Ukrainian крокодилячі сльози crocodile tears
Welsh dagrau crocodeil crocodile tears

False display of sorrow[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Arabic
عندما تكون في روما، افعل ما يفعله الرومان
 when in Rome, do as the Romans do
Belarusian в Рим като ри́мляните in Rome like the Romans
Catalan a terra que vas, usança que trobes in the land you go, the customs you find
Chinese 入鄉隨俗／入乡随俗 when entering a town, follow the customs
Czech jiný kraj, jiný mrav other country, other customs
Czech kdo chce s vlky býti, musí s nimi výti he who wants to be with wolves, must howl with them
Danish skik følge eller land fly observe custom or flee country
Danish man må hyle med de ulve man er iblandt one must howl with the wolves among which one is
Dutch 's lands wijs, 's lands eer as the country does, so the country does
English when in Rome, do as the Romans do when in Rome, do as the Romans do
Esperanto alia lando, aliaj moroj another country, other customs
Esperanto en Romio, agu kiel Romiano in Rome, act like a Roman
Esperanto kies gasto mi estas, ties feston mi festas whose guest I am, I celebrate his feast.
Esperanto inter lupoj, kriu lupe among wolves, cry wolf
Faroese sær er siður á landi to its own is the custom in a land
Finnish maassa maan tavalla the country's customs in the country
French autre pays, autre coutume another country, another custom
French à Rome, fais comme les Romains in Rome, do as the Romans
Galician cada país seu uso, cada roca seu fuso each country its custom, each spinning distaff its spindle
German andere Länder, andere Sitten other countries, other customs
German man muss mit den Wölfen heulen one has to howl with the wolves
Hebrew
ברומא התנהג כרומאי‎
 In Rome, behave like a Roman
Hindi जैसा देश वैसा भेष as the country is, same should be the manner
Hungarian ha Rómában élsz, élj úgy, mint a rómaiak if you live in Rome, live like the Romans
Icelandic sinn er siður í landi hverju its own is the custom in each land
Indonesian di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung where the feet touch the ground, there the sky held up
Irish fág an tír nó bí san fhaisean leave the country or be fashionable
Italian paese che vai, usanze che trovi country you go, customs you find
Italian a Roma, fai come i romani in Rome, do as the Romans do
Japanese 郷に入っては郷に従え when entering a town, follow the customs
Kabyle di Ṛṛuma, dder am iṛumaniyen in Rome, live like the Romans
Kabyle di tmura nniḍen dder am aken ttidiren in other countries live as they do
Korean 입향순속 when entering a town, follow the customs
Korean 로마에 가면 로마법을 따르라 when in Rome, do as the Romans do
Korean 고을에 들어가면 고을 풍속을 따르라 when you enter a town, follow the town's customs
Latin si fueris Rōmae, Rōmānō vīvitō mōre; si fueris alibī, vīvitō sīcut ibī if you are in Rome, live as a Roman; if you are elsewhere, live as you would have lived there
Lithuanian Romoje elkis kaip romėnai In Rome, do as the Romans do
Malay di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung hold up the sky of the land where you stand
Malay masuk ke dalam kandang kambing mengembek, masuk ke dalam kandang kerbau menguak bleat in the goat's pen, grunt in the buffalo's shed
Maltese meta tkun Ruma, agħmel bħal Rumani when in Rome, do as the Romans do
Northern Kurdish li gorî derdor û adetên xwecihî tevgeriyan behaved according to the environment and local customs
Norwegian Bokmål når man er i Rom gjør man som romerne when in Rome, do as the Romans do
Persian
خواهی نشوی رسوا همرنگ جماعت شو
 if you don't want to be disgraced, be like the crowd
Polish jeśli wejdziesz między wrony, musisz krakać jak i one when you go among the crows, you must caw like them
Polish w czyim chlebie smakujemy, tego i pochlebujemy in whose bread we taste, we also flatter
Polish co kraj, to obyczaj every country, there is a custom
Portuguese quando em Roma, faça como os romanos when in Rome, do as the Romans do
Romanian la Roma, faci ca romanii in Rome, do as the Romans do
Russian с волками жить — по-волчьи выть to live amongst wolves, you should howl like a wolf
Russian со своим уставом в чужой монастырь не ходят don’t go with your own rules to someone else’s monastery
Scottish Gaelic beus na tuath, far am bithear 's e a nithear the manners of the folk, where one is it is what one does
Scottish Gaelic dèan san Òban a rèir an Òbain do in Oban according to Oban
Serbo-Croatian кад си у Риму, понашај се као Римљанин / kad si u Rimu, ponašaj se kao Rimljanin when in Rome, act like a Roman
Somali meel Il laga la'yahay ishaa layska tuura where there is no eye, throw away the eye
Spanish allá donde fueres, haz lo que vieres when you go there, do what you see
Spanish si entre burros te ves, rebuzna alguna vez if you find yourself among donkeys, bray any way
Swedish ta seden dit man kommer take to the custom from where you're at
Thai เข้าเมืองตาหลิ่ว ต้องหลิ่วตาตาม to enter the town of squint-eyed people and need to squint one's own eyes like them
Turkish Roma'dayken Romalılar gibi davran when in Rome, act like the Romans
Vietnamese nhập gia tùy tục, nhập giang tùy khúc enter the house and follow customs, enter river and follow bends
Welsh pan foch yn Rhufain, gwnewch fel y Rhufeiniaid when you are in Rome, do as the Romans do
Welsh yn Ffrainc rhaid yfed yn ffraeth in France you have to drink witty

Give one a little benefit and the one will demand more[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Albanian jepja gishtin, të merr dorën I give you the finger, take your hand
Arabic
فتحناله، دخل بحماره‎
 we opened the door, he came in with his donkey
Chinese 得寸進尺／得寸进尺 get a cùn (~ 3 centemetres) and go for a chǐ (~ 30 centemetres)
Danish ræk nogen en lillefinger, og han tager hele armen give someone a little finger, they take the whole arm
English give them an inch and they'll take a mile give them an inch and they'll take a mile
Finnish kun antaa pahalle pikkusormen, se vie koko käden when you give the evil a little finger, it takes the whole hand
French tendez-leur la main et ils vous prennent le bras lend a hand and they take your arm
German gib jemandem den kleinen Finger und er nimmt die ganze Hand give someone the little finger and he takes the whole hand
Modern Greek Δώσε θάρρος στο χωριάτη, να σ΄ανέβει στο κρεβάτι Give courage to the villager to hop on your bed!
Hebrew
נותנים לו אצבע והוא רוצה את כל היד‎
 he's given the little finger and he wants the whole hand
Russian дай ему палец, он всю руку откусит give him a finger, he'll bite your whole hand off

Heavy rain[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Azerbaijani tut ucundan, göyə çıx grab the ends, go to sky
Catalan ploure a bots i barrals rain bota bags and barrels
Chinese 傾盆大雨／倾盆大雨 pour from a basin
Czech lít jako z konve pour from a water can
Dutch pijpenstelen regenen rain pipe handles
English rain buckets rain buckets
English rain cats and dogs rain cats and dogs
Finnish sataa äkäisiä ämmiä äkeet selässä rain angry hags with harrows on their back
Finnish sataa kuin saavista kaataen rain as if by pouring from a tub
French pleuvoir comme vache qui pisse rain like a cow pissing on a flat rock
French pleuvoir des cordes rain ropes
French pleuvoir des hallebardes rain halberds
German Bindfäden regnen rain threads
German wie aus Eimern schütten like pouring out of buckets
Hungarian zuhog, mintha dézsából öntenék pour from a tub
Icelandic rigna eldi og brennisteini rain fire and brimstone
Italian piovere a catinelle rain buckets
Italian piovere come Dio la manda rain as God sends it
Japanese 土砂降りになる become dropping dirt and sand
Modern Greek βρέχει με το τουλούμι rain with the goatskin
Modern Greek ρίχνει καντάρια pour kantars
Modern Greek ρίχνει καρεκλοπόδαρα it's raining cats and dogs
Norwegian Bokmål regne sinte kjerringer rain mad hags
Polish lać jak z cebra pour like from a bucket
Portuguese chover a cântaros rain buckets
Portuguese chover a potes rain pots
Portuguese chover canivete rain pocketknives
Portuguese o céu vir abaixo the sky comes down
Romanian ploua cu găleata rain with the bucket
Russian лить как из ведра pour like from a bucket
Spanish llover a cántaros rain jugs
Spanish llover a mares rain seas
Swedish stå som spön i backen stand like rods in the ground
Welsh bwrw hen wragedd â ffyn [beating (raining)] old women with sticks
Yue Chinese 落狗屎／落狗屎 pouring dog poop

I don't understand the language[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Arabic
يتحدث باللغة الصينية
 speaking in Chinese
Armenian դա ինձ համար չինարեն է it's Chinese to me
Chavacano Aleman ese comigo it's German to me
Chinese 鳥語／鸟语 bird's speech
Chinese 天書／天书 writing from the heaven
Czech to je pro mě španělská vesnice it's a Spanish village to me
Danish det er græsk for mig it is Greek to me
Danish en by i Rusland a town in Russia
Danish rent volapyk pure Volapük
Dutch dat is Chinees voor mij this is Chinese to me
English it's Greek to me it's Greek to me
Esperanto ĝi estas por mi volapukaĵo it is Volapük to me
Finnish se on minulle täyttä hepreaa it is totally Hebrew to me
French c'est de l'hébreu it's Hebrew
French c'est du chinois it's Chinese
French c'est du javanais it's Javanese
French c'est du russe it's Russian
Georgian ჩინურია ჩემთვის Chinese to me
German das kommt mir spanisch vor it seems Spanish to me
German das sind für mich böhmische Dörfer that is Czech villages to me
Hebrew
זה סינית בשבילי
 it’s Chinese for me
Hindi क्या मैं फ़ारसी बोल रहा हूँ am I speaking Persian
Hungarian ez nekem kínai it’s Chinese to me
Icelandic þetta er hebreska fyrir mér this is Hebrew to me
Indonesian bahasa dewa language of deities
Indonesian itu bahasa planet that's the language of a planet
Italian è ostrogoto it's Ostrogoth
Italian per me è arabo it's Arabic to me
Latin graecum est; nōn legitur it's Greek; it cannot be read
Macedonian шпанско село Spanish village
Modern Greek αυτά μου φαίνονται κινέζικα these look chinese to me
Norwegian Bokmål det er helt gresk for meg it's full Greek to me
Norwegian Nynorsk det er heilt gresk for meg it's full Greek to me
Polish to dla mnie chińszczyzna it's Chinese to me
Portuguese para mim você está falando grego you are speaking Greek to me
Panjabi ਕੀ ਮੈਂ ਫਾਰਸੀ ਬੋਲਦਾ ਪਿਆਂ am I speaking Persian
Romanian e chineză pentru mine it's Chinese to me
Russian китайская грамота Chinese writing
Serbo-Croatian шпанска села / španska sela Spanish villages
Spanish esto es chino para mí this is Chinese for me
Spanish no entiendo ni papa I don't understand even one potato
Swedish det är rena grekiskan it is pure Greek
Tagalog parang intsik it looks like Chinese
Turkish bir şey anladıysam Arap olayım let me be Arabic if I understand anything
Ukrainian це для мене китайська грамота that's Chinese writing to me
Vietnamese nói tiếng Lào to speak Lao
Vietnamese nói tiếng Miên to speak Khmer

Ignorant and narrow-minded person[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Chinese 井底之蛙／井底之蛙 a frog at the bottom of a well
Japanese 井底の蛙 a frog at the bottom of a well
Malay katak di bawah tempurung a frog under a coconut shell
Malayalam കൂപമണ്ഡൂകം the frog in a well
Sanskrit कूपमण्डूक frog in a well
Thai กบในกะลา frog in a coconut shell
Vietnamese ếch ngồi đáy giếng a frog that sits at the bottom of a well

Inexperienced[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Bulgarian с жълто около устата with yellow around the mouth
Chinese 乳臭未乾／乳臭未干 {smell of} the mother's milk is not dried
Dutch nat achter de oren wet behind the ears
English wet behind the ears wet behind the ears
German grün hinter den Ohren green behind the ears
German feucht hinter den Ohren wet behind the ears
Japanese 尻が青い have a blue butt
Latvian vēl slapjš aiz ausīm still wet behind the ears
Norwegian våt bak ørene wet behind the ears
Russian молоко на губах не обсохло the milk has not dried on the lips

Irreversible actions have been taken; the future is determined[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Arabic
سبق السيف العذل‎
 the sword preceded the humiliation
Bulgarian зарът е хвърлен the dice have been thrown
Catalan el dau ha estat tirat the die has been rolled
Chinese 木已成舟／木已成舟 the wood has already been made into a boat
Croatian kostky byly vrženy the dice were rolled
Danish terningen er kastet the die is thrown
Dutch de geest is uit de fles genie is out of the bottle
English genie is out of the bottle genie is out of the bottle
English the die is cast the die is cast
Esperanto la ĵetkubo estas ĵetita the die is thrown
Estonian liisk on langenud the die is fallen
Finnish arpa on heitetty the die is thrown
French le sort en est jeté the fate is thrown
French les dés sont jetés the dice are thrown
French les jeux sont faits the games are made
Galician a sorte está botada the fate is thrown
Georgian კამათელი გაგორებულია the dice are rolled
German die Würfel sind gefallen the dice are fallen
Hungarian a kocka el van vetve the die has been cast away
Icelandic teningnum er kastað the die is thrown
Italian il dado è tratto the die is thrown
Japanese 賽は投げられた the dice have been thrown
Korean 주사위는 던져졌다 the dice have been thrown
Latin ālea iacta est the die is cast
Macedonian коцката е фрлена the die is thrown
Modern Greek ο κύβος ερρίφθη the die is thrown
Northern Kurdish tîr ji kevan pekiya the arrow has left the bow
Norwegian Bokmål terningen er kastet the die is thrown
Norwegian Nynorsk terningen er kasta the die is thrown
Persian
تاس‌ها پرتاب شده‌اند‎
 the dice have been thrown
Polish kości zostały rzucone the dice have been thrown
Portuguese a sorte está lançada the fate is cast
Portuguese os dados estão lançados the dice are thrown
Romanian zarul este aruncat the die is rolled
Russian жребий брошен the fate is thrown
Scottish Gaelic dè a bhios ann, tachraidh e what will happen will happen
Serbo-Croatian ко̏цка је бачена / kȍcka je bačena the dice is thrown
Slovak kocky sú hodené the dice are rolled
Slovenian kọ̑cka je padla the die is thrown
Spanish la suerte está echada the fortune is thrown
Swedish tärningen är kastad the dice are thrown
Turkish zar atıldı dice rolled
Ukrainian гральну кістку кинуто the die is thrown
Ukrainian жереб кинуто the fortune is thrown

Little things can add up and become great[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Chinese 集腋成裘／集腋成裘 gather underarm hairs and then a fur coat can be made
Chinese 聚沙成塔／聚沙成塔 gather sands and then a tower can be built
Danish mange bække små gør en stor å many small brooks make a big river
Dutch vele kleintjes maken een grote many little things make a big one
English many a mickle makes a muckle many a mickle makes a muckle
English take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves
Finnish pienistä puroista syntyy suuri joki small streams make a big river
Finnish senteissä tuhannen alku in cents is the beginning of a thousand
French les petits ruisseaux font les grandes rivières small streams make big rivers
German wer den Pfennig nicht ehrt, ist des Talers nicht wert he who does not value the penny is not worth the thaler
Hungarian sok kicsi sokra megy a lot of little goes to a lot
Icelandic margt smátt gerir eitt stórt many small things make one big thing
Irish bailíonn brobh beart a blade gathers a bundle
Jamaican Patois every mikkle mek a mukkle many a mickle makes a muckle
Japanese 塵も積もれば山となる dust, if piled up, becomes a mountain
Korean 티끌 모아 태산 a lot of little goes to a lot
Korean 푼돈을 아끼면 큰돈은 저절로 모인다 if you save small amounts, big amounts will naturally accumulate
Malay sedikit-sedikit, lama-lama jadi bukit bit by bit, in the end it becomes a hill
Malay sehari selembar benang, lama-lama menjadi kain every day a thread, soon a cloth
Polish grosz do grosza, a będzie kokosza one grosz at a time and there will be a hen
Polish ziarnko do ziarnka, a zbierze się miarka grain to grain and the measuring cup will collect
Russian копейка рубль бережёт a kopeck saves a rouble
Slovenian zrno na zrno pogača kamen na kamen palača grain by grain a cake, stone by stone a palace
Swedish många bäckar små gör en stor å many small streams make a big river
Spanish un grano no hace granero, pero ayuda al compañero one grain does not make a granary, but it helps its companion
Spanish damlaya damlaya göl olur drop by drop becomes a lake

Not easily categorised[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Arabic
لا السمك ولا الطيور‎
 neither fish nor bird
Catalan ni carn ni peix neither meat nor fish
Chinese 非驢非馬／非驴非马 neither donkey nor horse
Czech ani ryba ani rak neither fish nor crayfish
Danish hverken fugl eller fisk neither bird nor fish
Dutch mossel noch vis neither mussel nor fish
Dutch vlees noch vis neither meat nor fish
English neither fish nor fowl neither fish nor fowl
Faroese hvørki fuglur ella fiskur neither bird nor fish
Finnish ei lintu eikä kala neither bird nor fish
French mi-figue mi-raisin half-fig half-grape
Galician nin arre nin xo neither too little nor too much
German weder Fisch noch Fleisch neither fish nor meat
Hebrew
לא בשר ולא חלב‎
 neither meat nor milk
Icelandic hvorki fugl né fiskur neither bird nor fish
Irish níl sé ina ghruth ná ina mheadhg it's neither curd nor whey
Italian né carne né pesce neither meat nor fish
Japanese 海の物とも山の物ともつかない neither things in the ocean nor things in the mountain
Norwegian Bokmål hverken fugl eller fisk neither bird nor fish
Polish ni pies, ni wydra neither dog nor otter
Portuguese nem carne nem peixe neither meat nor fish
Romanian nici cal nici măgar neither horse nor donkey
Russian ни рыба ни мясо neither fish nor meat
Spanish ni chicha ni limonada neither chicha nor lemonade
Swedish varken fågel eller fisk neither fowl nor fish
Yue Chinese 唔湯唔水／唔汤唔水 neither soup nor water

Opportunity has passed[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Armenian գնացքը գնացել է the train has left
Danish det tog er kørt the train has run
Dutch dat is een gepasseerd station that is a passed station
Dutch vlees noch vis neither meat nor fish
English that ship has sailed that ship has sailed
English that train has left the station that train has left the station
Finnish se juna meni jo it is June for me
German dieser Zug ist abgefahren that train has left
Hungarian ez a vonat már elment this train has already gone
Hungarian ez a hajó már elment this ship has aready gone
Italian hai perso il treno you missed the train
Norwegian Bokmål det toget er kjørt that train has left
Russian поезд ушёл the train is gone
Spanish ese barco ya zarpó that ship has already sailed
Spanish se te fue el tren you missed the train

People who often threat seldom commit it[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Afrikaans blaffende honde byt nie barking dogs don't bite
Albanian qeni që leh, s'të ha the dog that barks will not eat you
Basque zakur zaunkaria nekez hozkaria barking dog hardly bite
Catalan gos que lladra, no mossega dog that barks doesn't bite
Czech pes, který štěká, nekouše a dog that barks doesn't bite
Dutch blaffende honden bijten niet barking dogs do not bite
English barking dogs seldom bite barking dogs seldom bite
Esperanto bojanta hundo ne mordas a barking dog does not bite
Esperanto ne ĉio batas, kio tondras not everything thunders strikes
Finnish haukkuva koira ei pure a barking dog does not bite
French chien qui aboie ne mord pas a dog that barks does not bite
German Hunde, die bellen, beißen nicht dogs who bark don't bite
Hungarian amelyik kutya ugat, az nem harap the dog that barks does not bite
Italian can che abbaia non morde a barking dog doesn't bite
Japanese 弱い犬ほどよく吠る weak dogs bark more
Korean 짖는 개는 물지 않는다 barking dogs don't bite
Latin canis sine dentibus vehementius lātrat a dog without teeth barks more violently
Macedonian куче што лае, не каса a dog that barks, does not bite
Malay anjing menyalak tak menggigit barking dog doesn't bite
Malayalam കുരയ്ക്കുന്ന പട്ടി കടിക്കില്ല a barking dog will not bite
Modern Greek σκύλος που γαβγίζει, δε δαγκώνει a dog that barks doesn't bite
Polish pies, co bardzo szczeka, nie bardzo kąsa a dog that barks a lot, doesn't bite much
Portuguese cão que ladra não morde dog that barks, doesn't bite
Romanian câinele care latră nu mușcă barking dog doesn't bite
Russian лающая собака не кусает a barking dog won't bite
Serbian пас који ла̏је не гризе a dog that barks doesn't bite
Slovenian pes, ki laja, ne grize a dog that barks doesn't bite
Spanish perro ladrador, poco mordedor barking dog, not very biting
Swedish skällande hund bits inte barking dog does not bite
Tagalog ang asong tahol nang tahol ay hindi nangangagat a dog that barks does not bite
Tamil குரைக்கும் நாய் கடிக்காது a barking dog does not bite
Telugu అరిచే కుక్క కరవదు a barking dog will not bite
Thai หมาเห่าไม่กัด barking dog doesn't bite
Turkish havlayan köpek ısırmaz the barking dog does not bite

Person being mentioned arrives[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Arabic
اذكر غائبا تره‎
 mention an absent person, and you shall see him
Azerbaijani adını çək, qulağını bur name him, find him in the direction to which you turn your ear
Basque otsoa aipatu, otsoa agertu the wolf mentioned, the wolf appears
Bulgarian говорим за вълка, а той в кошарата speaking about the wolf , and he is in the sheep pen
Catalan parlant del rei de Roma, entra per la porta speak of the king of Rome, and he will come in through the door
Chinese 說曹操，曹操到／说曹操，曹操到 speak of Cáo Cāo and Cáo Cāo arrives
Czech my o vlku a vlk za dveřmi, my o vlku a vlk za humny speak of the wolf and the wolf is behind the doors
Danish når man taler om solen when you speak of the sun
Dutch als je het over de duivel hebt, dan zie je zijn staart we not only see his tail, we even step on it
English speak of the devil and he shall appear speak of the devil and he shall appear
Estonian kus hundist juttu where speaking of the wolf
Finnish siinä paha missä mainitaan there is the evil where it is mentioned
French quand on parle du loup, on en voit la queue when you speak of the wolf, you see his tail
Georgian ძაღლი ახსენე და ჯოხი ხელში დაიჭირეო mention the dog and hold a stick in your hand
German wenn man vom Teufel spricht, dann kommt er when one speaks of the devil, then he comes
Hebrew
מדברים על החמור, והחמור בא‎
 speak of the donkey and the donkey comes
Hungarian ne fesd az ördögöt a falra, mert megjelenik don't paint the devil on the wall, or he will appear
Icelandic oft kemur illur þá um er rætt often evil comes when it is discussed
Irish tagann gach aon rud lena iomrá ach madadh rua agus marbhán everything comes to mention but a red wolf and a dead man
Italian parli del diavolo e spuntano le corna talk about the devil, and the horns appear
Japanese 噂をすれば影がさす if you gossip, it will cast a shadow
Korean 호랑이도 제 말 하면 온다 the tiger comes when he is spoken about
Latin lupus in fābulā the wolf in a story
Latin lupus in sermōne the wolf in a conversation
Lithuanian vilką minim, vilkas čia you mention a wolf, the wolf is here
Modern Greek κατά φωνή κι ο γάιδαρος by voice, here is the donkey
Norwegian når man snakker om sola when you speak of the sun
Polish o wilku mowa, a wilk tu talk about the wolf, and he is almost here
Portuguese falando do diabo, aparece o rabo when you speak of the devil, his tail will show up
Romanian vorbești de lup și lupul la ușă you talk about the wolf and the wolf comes
Russian про серого речь, а серый навстречь when it’s spoken about a grey one, one meets the grey one
Scottish Gaelic thig an donas ri iomradh the misfortune comes as mentioned
Serbo-Croatian ми о вуку, ми о вуку а вук на врата / mi o vuku, mi o vuku a vuk na vrata we mention the wolf, and he enters the door
Slovenian ti o volku volk iz gozda we speak of the wolf, the wolf comes from the forest
South Levantine Arabic
ابن الحلال عند ذكره ببان
 the decent man appears with the mention
South Levantine Arabic
ذكرنا القط، أجا ينط
 we mentioned the cat and he came jumping
Spanish habla del rey de Roma, y asoma speak of the king of Rome, and he surprises you
Swedish när man talar om trollen, står de i farstun when one speaks of the trolls, they're out in the hallway
Turkish iti an, çomağı hazırla wait, prepare the stick
Ukrainian про вовка промовка speaking of the wolf
Welsh sonier am ddiawl, fe ymddengys y cythraul mention the devil, the devil will appear
Yiddish
מע זאל נאר דערמאנען משיחן‎
 We should only mention the Christ

Prevent before it happens[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Arabic
الوقاية خير من العلاج
 prevention is better than cure
Chinese 未雨綢繆／未雨绸缪 bind the window tightly before it rains
Chinese 防患未然／防患未然 prevent trouble before it happens
Danish det er bedre at forebygge end at helbrede it is better to prevent than to cure
Dutch voorkomen is beter dan genezen prevention is better than cure
French mieux vaut prévenir que guérir prevention is better than cure
English prevention is better than cure prevention is better than cure
German Vorbeugen ist besser als Heilen prevention is better than cure
Japanese 予防は治療に勝る prevention is better than cure
Malay mencegah lebih baik daripada mengubati prevention is better than cure
Modern Greek κάλλιον το προλαμβάνειν παρά το θεραπεύειν prevention is better than cure
Modern Greek κάλλιον του θεραπεύειν το προλαμβάνειν prevention is better than cure
Polish lepiej zapobiegać niż leczyć better to prevent than to cure
Portuguese prevenir é melhor do que remediar prevention is better than cure
Russian профилактика лучше лечения prevention is better than cure
Spanish mas vale prevenir que lamentar prevention is better than regret
Spanish por si las moscas just in case there are flies

Prominence invites trouble[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Chinese 樹大招風／树大招风 big tree catches wind
Dutch hoge bomen vangen veel wind tall trees catch a lot of wind

Random people[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Afrikaans Jan Rap en sy maat Jan Rap and his partner
Albanian Filani apo Fisteku Filani or Fisteku
Arabic
فلان، علان وترتان
 Fulàn, 'Illàn or Tirtàn
Azerbaijani Ali, Vali, Pirvali Ali, Vali, Pirvali
Basque Urlia, Sandia eta Berendia Urlia, Sandia and Berendia
Bulgarian Сульо и Пульо Súljo and Púljo
Catalan en Pau, en Pere i en Berenguera Pau, Pere and Berenguera
Chinese 阿貓阿狗／阿猫阿狗 kitties and doggies
Chinese 張三李四／张三李四 the third son of Zhāng, the fourth son of Lǐ
Danish gud og hvermand God and every man
Dutch Jan, Piet en Klaas Jan, Piet and Klaas
Dutch Jan en Alleman Jan and Alleman
English Tom, Dick and Harry Tom, Dick and Harry
Finnish mattimeikäläinen Matt-someone
French Pierre, Paul ou Jacques Pierre, Paul or Jacques
German Hans und Franz Hans and Franz
German Hinz und Kunz Hinz and Kunz
German Krethi und Plethi Cherethites and Pelethites
Hindi ऐरा-ग़ैरा नत्थू ख़ैरा Airā-Ġairā Natthū Xairā
Hungarian boldog-boldogtalan happy-unhappy
Italian Tizio, Caio e Sempronio Tizio, Caio and Sempronio
Japanese 猫も杓子も cats and ladles too
Korean 개나 소나 dogs or cows
Macedonian Петко, Трајко и Круме Petko, Trajko and Krume
Modern Greek κάθε καρυδιάς καρύδι every walnut of the walnut tree
Norwegian Gud og hvermann God and every man
Norwegian Per, Pål og Askeladden Per, Pål or Askeladden
Persian
اره و اوره و شمسی کوره‎
 Âre, Ure, Šamsi Kure
Portuguese Fulano, Beltrano e Cicrano Fulano, Beltrano and Cicrano
Portuguese Fulano, Sicrano e Beltrano Fulano, Sicrano and Beltrano
Romanian Ion, Vasile, Gheorghe, Ana Ion, Vasile, Gheorghe, Ana
Russian Иванов, Петров, Сидоров Ivanóv, Petróv, Sídorov
Sardinian Fulanu, Bodale e Nighele Fulanu, Bodale and Nighele
Serbo-Croatian И Кунто и Панто / I Kunto i Panto both Kunto and Panto
Serbo-Croatian Пера, Мика, Лаза / Pera, Mika, Laza Pera, Mika, Laza
Serbo-Croatian Марко и Трајко / Marko i Trajko Marko and Trajko
Spanish Fulano, Mengano y Sotano Fulano, Mengano and Sotano
Swedish Joži or Džony Joži or Džony
Swedish Andersson, Pettersson och Lundström Andersson, Pettersson or Lundström
Tamil குப்பனோ சுப்பனோ Kuppaṉō or Cuppaṉō
Telugu అప్పారావు, సుబ్బారావు Appārāvu, Subbārāvu
Turkish Ahmet, Mehmet Ahmet, Mehmet
Turkish Ali, Veli Ali, Veli
Urdu
ایراغیرہ نتھو خیرا‎
 Era Ġera, Nathu, Khera
Welsh Twm, Dic neu Harri Twm, Dic or Harri

Stop fighting[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Catalan enterrar la destral de guerra bury the hatchet
Chinese 化干戈為玉帛／化干戈为玉帛 turn shields and spears into jade and silk
Czech zakopat válečnou sekeru bury the hatchet
Dutch de strijdbijl begraven bury the hatchet
English bury the hatchet bury the hatchet
Finnish haudata sotakirves bury the hatchet
French enterrer la hache de guerre bury the hatchet
German das Kriegsbeil begraben bury the hatchet
Hungarian elássa a csatabárdot bury the hatchet
Icelandic að grafa stríðsöxina bury the hatchet
Italian sotterrare l'ascia di guerra bury the hatchet
Modern Greek θάψτε το τσεκούρι του πολέμου bury the hatchet
Norwegian Bokmål begrave stridsøksen bury the hatchet
Polish zakopać topór wojenny bury the hatchet
Russian закопать топор войны bury the hatchet
Swedish begrava stridsyxan bury the hatchet

Subordinates take the advantage when their superior is absent[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Afrikaans as die kat weg is, is die muis baas when the cat's away, the mouse is boss
Chinese 山中無老虎，猴子稱大王／山中无老虎，猴子称大王 when there is no tiger in the mountain, the monkeys proclaim themselves kings
Cimbrian balda di khatz velt, di maüs tåntzan when the cat is missing, the mice dance
Czech když kocour není doma, myši mají pré when the cat's away from home, the mice are having free time
Danish når katten er ude, spiller musene på bordet when the cat is out, the mice is playing on the table
Dutch als de kat van huis is, dansen de muizen op tafel when the cat is not at home, the mice dance on the table
English when the cat's away the mice will play when the cat's away the mice will play
Esperanto kiam kato promenas, la musoj festenas when the cats are gone, the mice feast
Estonian kui kassid läinud, on hiirtel pidu when the cats are gone, the mice have a party
Finnish kun kissa on poissa, hiiret hyppivät pöydällä when the cat is gone, the mice jump on the table
French quand le chat n'est pas là, les souris dansent when the cat isn't there, the mice dance
German ist die Katze aus dem Haus, tanzen die Mäuse auf dem Tisch if the cat is out of the house, the mice dance on the table
Hungarian ha nincs otthon a macska, cincognak az egerek if the cat is not home, the mice squeak
Icelandic þegar kötturinn er frá fara mýsnar á stjá when the cat is gone, the mice go to roost
Irish nuair a bhíonn an cat amuigh, bíonn na lucha ag rince when the cat is out, the mice dance
Italian quando il gatto non c'è, i topi ballano when the cat is away, the mice play
Japanese 鬼いぬ間の洗濯 laundry when ogres are absent
Japanese 鼬無き間の貂誇り pride of marten when weasels are absent
Khmer ឆ្មាមិននៅ កណ្ដុរឡើងរាជ្យ if cats are not there, mice reign
Kikuyu hiti ciathiĩ mbwe ciegangara when hyenas go away, foxes play
Kikuyu ngatia ciathiĩ hiti cĩeragara when lions have gone, hyenas dance
Korean 고양이가 없으면 쥐가 살판이 난다 if the cat is not there, the mice will eat
Latin audācem reddit fēlis absentia murem the absence of cat make the mouse bold
Lower Sorbian gaž jo kócor z domu, ga maju myšy swóju wólu when the cat's out of the house, the mice will have their will
Luxembourgish wann d’Kaz fort ass, sinn d’Mais Meeschter when the cat is gone, the mice are masters
Modern Greek όταν λείπει η γάτα, χορεύουν τα ποντίκια when the cat is away, the mice dance
Northern Kurdish kitik ne li mal e, navê mişkî Evdal e the kitten is not at home, the mouse's name is Evdal
Norwegian når katten er borte, danser musene på bordet when the cat’s away, the mice are dancing on the table
Persian
در خانه کسی که گربه نباشد موش کدخداست‎
 in the house of the one who does not have a cat, there are mice
Polish gdy kota nie ma, myszy harcują when the cat is away, the mice play
Portuguese quando o gato sai, os ratos fazem a festa when the cat is out, the mice play
Romanian când pisica nu-i acasă, joacă șoarecii pe masă when the cat isn't home, the mice are dancing on the table
Russian без кота мышам раздолье without the cat, it’s freedom to the mice
Scottish Gaelic tha fios aig an luch nach eil an cat a-staigh the mouse knows the cat is not inside
Serbian где мачке у кући нема ту мишеви коло воде where there are no cats in the house, there are mice around the water
Spanish cuando el gato no está, los ratones bailan when the cat is not there, the mice dance
Swedish när katten är borta, dansar råttorna på bordet when the cat is away, the rats dance on the table
Telugu రౌతు మెత్తనైతే గుర్రం మూడు కాళ్ళ మీద పరిగెత్తుతుంది if the rider is soft, the horse runs on three legs
Thai แมวไม่อยู่ หนูร่าเริง the cat is away, the mouse is cheerful
Vietnamese vắng chủ nhà, gà vọc niêu tôm when the owner is away from home, the chicken will peck the earthenware pot of shrimp

Something ruins everything else[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Belarusian лыжка дзёгцю ў бочцы мёду a spoonful of tar in a barrel of honey
Chinese 一顆老鼠屎壞了一鍋粥／一顆老鼠屎坏了一锅粥 a piece of mouse shit ruins a pot of porridge
Danish hår i suppen hair in the soup
Dutch haar in de boter hair in the butter
English fly in the ointment fly in the ointment
English fly in the buttermilk fly in the buttermilk
English turd in the punchbowl turd in the punchbowl
English worm in the apple worm in the apple
French couille dans le pâté testicle in the pâté
French couille dans le potage testicle in the soup
German Haar in der Suppe hair in the soup
Polish łyżka dziegciu w beczce miodu a spoonful of tar in a barrel of honey
Russian ложка дёгтя в бочке мёда a spoonful of tar in a barrel of honey
Serbo-Croatian муха у јухи / muha u juhi fly in the ointment
Serbo-Croatian муха у супи / muha u supi fly in the soup
Swedish smolk i glädjebägaren mote in the joy cup
Swedish en droppe malört i glädjebägaren a drop of wormwood in the joy cup
Ukrainian ложка дьогтю в бочці ме́ду a spoonful of tar in a barrel of honey

Unfortunate events occur in quantity[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Arabic المصائب لا تأتي فرادى‎ misfortunes do not come alone
Catalan les desgràcies mai no venen soles misfortunes do not come alone
Chinese 屋漏偏逢連夜雨／屋漏偏逢连夜雨 the roof is leaking, several continuous nights of rain are following
Chinese 禍不單行／祸不单行 misfortunes do not come alone
Cimbrian balda di khatz velt, di maüs tåntzan when the cat is missing, the mice dance
Czech neštěstí nechodí nikdy samo misfortunes never come alone
Czech když se to sere, tak se to sere when it shits, then it shits
Danish en ulykke kommer sjældent alene a misfortune seldom comes alone
Dutch een ongeluk komt zelden alleen a misfortune seldom comes alone
English bad things come in threes bad things come in threes
English it never rains but it pours it never rains but it pours
Esperanto malfeliĉo malofte venas sole a misfortune seldom comes alone
Faroese sjáldan er ein báran støk a wave seldome comes alone
Faroese har ein skriðan er lopin er onnur væntandi when one landslide is over, another is waiting
Finnish ei vahinko yksinään tule the damage will not come alone
Finnish kaikki on vastaan, vain saha puoltaa everything is against me, only the saw pulls
French un malheur ne vient jamais seul a misfortune never comes alone
German ein Unglück kommt selten allein a misfortune seldom comes alone
Hebrew
צרוֹת באות בצרורות‎
 misfortunes come in packages
Hungarian a baj nem jár egyedül trouble does not come alone
Icelandic sjaldan er ein báran stök a wave seldome comes alone
Icelandic það er ýmist of eða van it is either too much or too little
Italian i guai non vengono mai da soli misfortunes never come alone
Italian piove sul bagnato it rains on the wet
Italian al peggio non c'è mai fine there is no ending to worse
Japanese 踏んだり蹴ったり we often tread on and we often bump off
Japanese 泣きっ面に蜂 a wasp on a tearful face
Japanese 弱り目に祟り目 in times of weakness, evil eyes
Japanese 降れば土砂降り if it rains, it rains like pouring dirt and sand
Korean 불행은 겹친다 misfortunes pile up
Latin aliud ex aliō malum one trouble after another
Latin nūlla calamitās sōla no misfortune is alone
Latin Fortūna obesse nūllī contenta est semel Fortune is never satisfied with hurting a man just once
Latin aliō relinquente flūctū alius excēpit one wave was letting me go, another one snatched me
Latin dolor dolōrem trūdit et metus metum one sorrow presses hard on another, and one fear on another fear
Lithuanian bėda viena nevaikšto trouble does not come alone
Luxembourgish en Ongléck kënnt seelen eleng a misfortune seldom comes alone
Modern Greek ενός κακού, μύρια έπονται one evil is followed by thousands
Norwegian Bokmål en ulykke kommer sjelden alene a misfortune seldom comes alone
Norwegian Nynorsk ei ulykke kjem sjeldan aleine a misfortune seldom comes alone
Polish nieszczęścia chodzą parami misfortunes walk in pairs
Portuguese um mal nunca vem só a bad thing never comes alone
Portuguese uma desgraça nunca vem sozinha a misfortune never comes alone
Romanian o nenorocire nu vine niciodată singură a misfortune never comes alone
Russian пришла беда — отворяй ворота when the trouble comes, open the gate
Russian беда не приходит одна trouble does not come alone
Scottish Gaelic nuair a thig air duine, thig air uile when it befalls one, it befalls all
Serbo-Croatian несрећа никада не долази сама / nesreća nikada ne dolazi sama misfortune never comes alone
Slovak nešťastie nechodí samo misfortune does not come alone
Slovenian nesreča ne pride nikoli sama misfortune never come alone
Spanish las desgracias nunca vienen solas misfortunes never come alone
Spanish cuando llueve, diluvia when it rains, it pours
Spanish llueve sobre mojado it rains on the wet
Spanish si no quieres caldo, taza y media if you do not want broth, a bowl and a half
Swedish en olycka kommer sällan ensam a misfortune seldom comes alone
Swedish när det regnar så öser det ner when it rains, it pours
Thai ความวัวไม่ทันหาย ความควายเข้ามาแทรก the condition of cows does not yet cease, the condition of buffaloes comes in to join
Vietnamese бі́да ні́коли сама́ не хо́дить trouble does not come alone
Vietnamese họa vô đơn chí misfortune never comes alone
Walloon on måleur ni vént måy tot seu misfortune never comes alone
Walloon helynt ni ddaw ei hunan trouble does not come by itself

Use excessive force[edit | edit source]

language saying literal meaning
Chinese 高射炮打蚊子／高射炮打蚊子 to use an anti-aircraft gun to hit a mosquito
Chinese 割雞焉用牛刀／割鸡焉用牛刀 why use an cattle cleaver for killing a chicken
Chinese 牛鼎烹雞／牛鼎烹鸡 to use a cauldron for a cattle to cook a chicken
Czech jít s kanónem na vrabce to go shooting a cannon at a sparrow
Danish skyde spurve med kanoner to shoot sparrows with cannons
Dutch met een kanon op een mug schieten to shoot a mosquito with a cannon
English use a sledgehammer to crack a nut use a sledgehammer to crack a nut
Finnish ampua tykillä kärpästä to shoot at a fly with a cannon
French écraser une mouche avec un marteau to smash a fly with a hammer
French tuer une mouche avec un canon to kill a fly with a cannon
German mit Kanonen auf Spatzen schießen to shoot at sparrows with cannons
Italian sparare agli uccellini col cannone to shoot at little birds with a cannon
Kannada ಗುಬ್ಬಿ ಮೇಲೆ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಾಸ್ತ್ರ to strike a sparrow with the brahmāstra
Norwegian Bokmål skyte spurv med kanoner to shoot sparrows with cannons
Norwegian Nynorsk skyte sporv med kanonar to shoot sparrows with cannons
Polish strzelać z armaty do muchy impf to shoot a cannon at a fly
Russian палить из пушки по воробьям to fire a cannon at sparrows
Spanish matar moscas a cañonazos to kill flies with cannon shots
Swedish skjuta sparvar med kanoner to shoot sparrows with cannons
Telugu పిచ్చుక మీద బ్రహ్మాస్త్రము to strike a sparrow with the brahmāstra
Thai ขี่ช้างจับตั๊กแตน to ride an elephant to catch a grasshopper
Welsh cymryd gordd i dorri cneuen to take a sledgehammer to crack a nut

Other Lessons[edit source]

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