IdiomAnimals
Romanian
RomanianA tăcea ca porcul în păpușoi
Meaning: To keep guiltily quiet.
Literally: To stay silent like a pig in the cornfield
Example: “Când am întrebat cine a spart vaza, a tăcut ca porcul în păpușoi.” — When I asked who broke the vase, mum was the word.
English equivalent: Mum's the word
Origin: Păpușoi is the Moldavian word for maize. A pig that has got into a cornfield and is eating its fill keeps perfectly quiet so as not to be found. Keeping silent like a pig in the maize is staying quiet because one has something to hide.
Equivalents in other languages
Italian: Acqua in bocca Literally: Water in the mouth
Polish: trzymać buzię na kłódkę Literally: To hold one's mouth on a padlock
French: Motus et bouche cousue Literally: Motus and mouth sewn shut
English: mum's the word
More Romanian idioms
- A umbla cu cioara vopsită To try to deceive people with falsehoods.
- A se face luntre și punte To do absolutely everything to help.
- A freca menta To waste time; to loaf around doing nothing useful.
- A-i pica fisa To finally understand something.
- A se uita ca pisica în calendar To stare blankly, understanding nothing.
- A tăia frunză la câini To do pointless work; to idle away the day.
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