Idioms from Around the World:

A Window into Language and Culture

Idioms are expressions that carry meanings beyond their literal words. They reflect the history, humor, and mindset of a culture. Learning idioms can help you understand a language better and connect with native speakers. Here are some fascinating idioms from different parts of the world:

Idioms from Asia: China, Japan, and Korea

🇨🇳 Chinese Idioms (Mandarin)

1. 井底之蛙 (Jǐng dǐ zhī wā) – “A frog at the bottom of a well.”

   • Meaning: A person with a narrow perspective.

2. 画蛇添足 (Huà shé tiān zú) – “Drawing legs on a snake.”

   • Meaning: Overcomplicating something unnecessarily.

3. 一箭双雕 (Yī jiàn shuāng diāo) – “One arrow, two eagles.”

   • Meaning: Killing two birds with one stone.

4. 杯弓蛇影 (Bēi gōng shé yǐng) – “Seeing a bow’s reflection in a cup and thinking it’s a snake.”

   • Meaning: Letting paranoia or fear cloud judgment.

5. 老牛吃嫩草 (Lǎo niú chī nèn cǎo) – “An old cow eats young grass.”

   • Meaning: A much older person dating someone very young.

6. 纸上谈兵 (Zhǐ shàng tán bīng) – “Discussing military strategy on paper.”

   • Meaning: Theoretical knowledge without real-world experience.

🇯🇵 Japanese Idioms

1. 猿も木から落ちる (Saru mo ki kara ochiru) – “Even monkeys fall from trees.”

   • Meaning: Even experts make mistakes.

2. 猫の手も借りたい (Neko no te mo karitai) – “I’d even borrow a cat’s paw.”

   • Meaning: Extremely busy, willing to accept help from anyone.

3. 頭が固い (Atama ga katai) – “Having a hard head.”

   • Meaning: Stubborn or inflexible in thinking.

4. 泣きっ面に蜂 (Nakittsura ni hachi) – “A bee stings a crying face.”

   • Meaning: When things go from bad to worse.

5. 石の上にも三年 (Ishi no ue ni mo san-nen) – “Three years sitting on a rock.”

   • Meaning: Patience and perseverance pay off.

6. 鬼に金棒 (Oni ni kanabō) – “A demon with an iron club.”

   • Meaning: Someone or something becoming even stronger.

🇰🇷 Korean Idioms

1. 개천에서 용 난다 (Gaecheon-eseo yong nanda) – “A dragon rises from a small stream.”

   • Meaning: A great person emerges from humble beginnings.

2. 발 벗고 나서다 (Bal beotgo naseoda) – “Taking off your shoes and stepping forward.”

   • Meaning: Actively taking responsibility for something.

3. 호랑이도 제 말 하면 온다 (Horangi-do je mal hamyeon onda) – “If you talk about a tiger, it will appear.”

   • Meaning: Speaking of someone and they suddenly show up.

4. 닭 잡아먹고 오리발 내민다 (Dak jabameokgo oribal naeminda) – “Eating a chicken and showing a duck’s foot.”

   • Meaning: Lying or pretending innocence after doing something wrong.

5. 누워서 떡 먹기 (Nuwoseo tteok meokgi) – “Eating rice cakes while lying down.”

   • Meaning: Something very easy to do.

6. 뛰는 놈 위에 나는 놈 있다 (Ttwineun nom wie naneun nom itda) – “Above the running man, there is a flying man.”

   • Meaning: There is always someone better.

“Idioms” is a list of idioms used in variety of languages around the world. It is important and helpful to learn idioms if you want to learn other language and culture.