Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Similar-Sayings

Hi. Here we will see idioms and proverbs with similar meanings in different languages.

In progress

Handling affairs

Destroy one's paths, connections or opportunities

language	saying	literal meaning
Arabic	حرق السفن	burning the ship
Arabic	قطع الجسور	cutting the bridge
Chinese	過河拆橋	cross the river, tear down the bridge
Chinese	破釜沉舟	smash the cooking pots and sink the boats
Dutch	je schepen achter je verbranden	burning your ships behind you
Danish	brænde alle broer	break all bridges
Danish	bryde alle broer	burn all bridges
English	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
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 los puentes	burn the bridges
Spanish	quemar las naves	burn the ships
Swedish	bränna sina broar	burn the bridges
Swedish	bränna sina skepp	burn their ships

Irreversible actions have been taken; the future is determined

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	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	the die is cast
English	genie is out of the bottle
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 teningunum er kastað	the die is thrown the dice are 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
Serbian	ко̏цка је бачена	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

Prevent before it happens

language	saying	literal meaning
Arabic	الوقاية خير من العلاج	prevention is better than cure
Chinese	未雨綢繆	bind the window tightly before it rains
Chinese	防患未然	prevent trouble before it happens
Chinese	預防勝於治療	prevention is better than cure
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
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
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

Subordinates take the advantage when their superior is absent

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	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
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
Northern Kurdish	kitik ne li mal e, navê mişkî Evdal e	the kitten is not at home, the mouse's name is Evdal
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
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 están de fiesta	when the cat is not there the mice are partying
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

Weather

Heavy rain

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
Czech	lít jako z konve	pour from a water can
Dutch	pijpenstelen regenen	rain pipe handles
English	rain buckets
English	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 des cordes	rain ropes
French	pleuvoir des hallebardes	rain halberds
French	pleuvoir comme vache qui pisse	rain like a cow pissing on a flat rock
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	lać jak z cebra	pour like from a bucket
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
Mandarin Chinese	傾盆大雨	pour from a basin
Modern Greek	βρέχει με το τουλούμι	rain with the goatskin
Modern Greek	ρίχνει καντάρια	pour kantars
Norwegian Bokmål	regne sinte kjerringer	rain mad hags
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 ведра́	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	pouring dog poop

Soaked people

language	saying	literal meaning
English	like a drowned rat
Chinese	落湯雞	chicken in the soup

Working

Achievements require patience

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	three chi of ice is not the result of one day's coldness
Chinese	羅馬不是一日建成的	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
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 δεν 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 Rzym zbudowano	Rome wasn't built in a day
Polish	nie od razu Kraków zbudowano	Cracow 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	Roma no se hizo en un día	Rome wasn't built in a day
Spanish	no se ganó Zamora en una hora	Zamora was not won in an hour
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	Рим не одразу збудований	Rome wasn't built immediately
Ukrainian	Київ не відразу збудований	Kyiv wasn't built immediately
Welsh	nid mewn undydd y codwyd Rhufain	Rome wasn't built in a day