IdiomFood & Drink
Arabic
Arabicحط في بطنك بطيخة صيفي (ḥuṭṭ fī baṭnak baṭīkha ṣayfī)
Meaning: Relax completely; do not worry about a thing.
Literally: Put a summer watermelon in your belly
Example: “الأوراق كلها جاهزة، حط في بطنك بطيخة صيفي.” — All the papers are ready; keep your cool.
English equivalent: Keep one's cool
Equivalents in other languages
Danish: At slå koldt vand i blodet Literally: To pour cold water into the blood
English: keep one's cool
Origin: An Egyptian colloquial saying: a summer watermelon is cool, heavy and soothing, and "putting one in your belly" is settling down with nothing to fear. It is said to reassure someone that all is taken care of. No particular story or first use is documented.
More Arabic idioms
- يعمل من الحبة قبة (Ya'mal min al-ḥabba qubba) To blow something tiny completely out of proportion.
- الجمل ما يشوف عوجة رقبته (Al-jamal mā yshūf 'awjat raqabatuh) People are blind to their own faults.
- تمخض الجبل فولد فأرا (tamakhaḍa al-jabalu fa-walada fa'ran) A huge fuss producing a tiny result.
- يضرب في حديد بارد (yadrib fi hadid barid) To waste effort on a hopeless task.
- القرد بعين أمه غزال (al-qird bi-ʿayn ummihi ghazāl) Parents see their children as beautiful no matter what.
- اللي ما يعرف الصقر يشويه (illi ma yaʿrif al-ṣaqr yishwīh) Failing to recognize something valuable and destroying it.
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