Sayings that make no sense in English

If idioms and phrasal verbs do not seem complex enough to our English learners, we always have the sayings to add up to their list. But as a “revenge”, other languages also make it complicated for us English speakers to figure out these complicated expressions. Here are some sayings (and idioms too) in varied languages that don’t make any sense when literally translated into English:

Japanese

Neko no te mo karitai; Translation: I’d even borrow a cat’s hand (that’s right, hand, not paw!); Actual meaning: I’m really busy.
Mekuso mimikuso wo warau; Translation: Eye booger laughs at earwax; Actual meaning: Pot calling the kettle black

Chinese
开门见山; Translation: Open the door, see the mountain; Actual meaning: Get to the point
博士买驴; Translation: Academics buy donkeys; Actual meaning: You’re being a pompous ass
画蛇添足; Translation: Draw snake, add feet; Actual meaning: You are doing unnecessary work that is ruining your result.

Czech
Bez práce nejsou koláče; Translation: No work; no pies. Actual meaning: No pain, no gain
Pečení holubi nelítají do huby”. Translation: Roasted pigeons don’t fly to your mouth. Actual meaning: No bees no honey, no work no money

Swedish
Ana ugglor i mossen; Translation: Suspect owls in the bog; Actual meaning: Suspect something is wrong

Danish
Van de pot gerukt; Translation: Torn away from the toilet; Actual meaning: Are you mad/insane?
At være høj i hatten; Translation: To be tall in the hat; Actual meaning: You have a superior attitude
Gemmer du til natten, gemmer du til katten; Translation: If you save it for the night (the next day), you save it for the cat; Actual meaning: If you don’t eat up your food and store it, the cat will surely eat it.

Dutch

Daar komt de aap uit de mouw; Translation: There comes the monkey out of the sleeve; Actual meaning: So that’s what’s really going on here!

Korean
김치국 부터마신다; Translation: Eating the kimchi soup first; Actual meaning: Hopelessly anticipating something big.

 

Taken from https://voxy.com/blog/index.php/2012/05/sayings-that-make-no-sense-in-english/