International Student's Abroad

ANNOUNCING A CONTEST - Win a free copy of Excuse Me, Can You Repeat That? LIKE the book’s Facebook page and share your answer in the comment section: What American idiom is the funniest when translated in your native language? The two people with the funniest responses will have a book shipped to them. Contest ends November 15, 2012. Limit -One response per person. http://tinyurl.com/c8t6wm8
  For example: In the U.S. we say "it's a piece of cake" to say something is easy. In Turkey people say "it's a piece of pie" (translated) and in China "it's a plate" (translated)


Jag Bhalla wrote a fun book for National Geographic called I'm Not Hanging Noodles on Your Ears and Other Intriguing Idioms From Around the World.   Not hanging noodles on your ears: Russian - not kidding

To reheat cabbage: Italian – rekindle an old flame

Like fingernail and dirt: Spanish, Mexico – well suited

Bang your butt on the ground: French - die laughing

Plucked like a chicken: Yiddish - exhausted

To bite the elbow: Russian – to cry over spilt milk

Smoke from 7 orifices of head: Chinese – to be furious

To become naked: Japanese – to go broke, poor

An ant milker: Arabic – a miser, tight wad

Give it to someone with cheese: Spanish - to deceive

Squeezer of limes: Hindi – self invited guest, idler

To break wind into silk: French - live the life of Riley