Category Archives: Proverbs

“more saliva then tea” Tone: can be cute, can be offensive Meaning: you are talking too much. Let’s “have tea” A Cantonese saying. The “have tea” here doesn’t mean the serious kind of tea drinking/tasting, it means Dim Summing. “Let’s … Continue reading →

If your friend is honey, don’t lick him all The camel limped from its split lip A bad workman blames his tools Chose the neighbour before the house We can live without friends, but not without neighbours My brother and … Continue reading →

“Mi come here fi drink milk, mi noh come here fi count cow”. A reminder to conduct business in a straightforward manner. “The higher the monkey climbs the more him expose”. A truly comic image if you’ve ever been to … Continue reading →

1. Ada ya mja hunena mungwana ni kitendoí (adduh ya mj-uh who-nen-uh, moon-gwan-uh knee-key-tendo) translates to: Public opinion maintains, a gentleman is judged by his actions. Or, Handsome is as handsome does (sounds like something Forest Gump would say) 2. … Continue reading →

Uyghur Makhaliler Uighur Proverbs Alemni su besip ketse, ödekning khaptiligha yetmeptu. Even if the world is flooded, the duck feels safe. 6 ay atkhan pahta bir qapangha yetmeptu. 6 months of work with cotton is not enough for a coat. … Continue reading →

A good proverb stikes the eye, not the eybrow. The mountain falcon flies high; The wiseman’s son speaks in proverbs. Without council there is no wisdom; Without praise no heroes. Wealth – until the first snowstorm; Hero – until the … Continue reading →

Ak' tsAT sum tI sa:s gov kli One man cut the bund/barrage, and a thousand people fell into the river. Ak' sund kAsiya:n beyi sund gIza: One person’s vomit is another’s food. Someone lives on the leftovers of others. Ak' … Continue reading →

Sehari selembar benang lama-lama jadi kain Sedikit-sedikit lama-lama jadi bukit Incremental efforts do make a difference as the benefits accumulate. A little effort in time makes a hill, and a thread woven eventually becomes cloth. Berakit-rakit kehulu Berenang-renang ketepian Bersakit-sakit … Continue reading →

Több nap mint kolbász. More days than sausage. A nap hoszabb a kolbásznál. The day is longer than sausage. Kolbászban az igazság. In sausage there is truth. A kolbász az kolbász. Sausage is sausage. Filozófia és Vallás- Philosophy and Religion … Continue reading →

Every cloud has a silver lining Doppu u bruttu veni u beddu When the cat is away, the mice will play Quannu u gattu nun c’e, i surci abballanu Time is money U tempu e’ dinaru To be born with … Continue reading →