IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishcarry coals to Newcastle
Meaning: To do something completely unnecessary.
Example: “Taking wine to a vineyard is carrying coals to Newcastle.”
Origin: Newcastle upon Tyne was the center of the English coal trade, so bringing coal there was pointless. The phrase is recorded from the 17th century.
Equivalents in other languages
German: Eulen nach Athen tragen Literally: To carry owls to Athens
Russian: в Тулу со своим самоваром (v Tulu so svoim samovarom) Literally: To Tula with one's own samovar- Russian: в лес дрова возить (v les drova vozit') Literally: To bring firewood to the forest
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