IdiomThe Absurd
Persian
Persianخر بیار و باقالی بار کن (khar biyār o bāqālī bār kon)
Meaning: Utter chaos; an endless, overwhelming mess.
Literally: Bring a donkey and load it with fava beans
Example: “روز اول فروش، مغازه خر بیار و باقالی بار کن بود.” — On the first day of the sale, all hell broke loose in the shop.
English equivalent: All hell breaks loose
Equivalents in other languages
Norwegian: Helt texas Literally: Completely Texas
English: all hell breaks loose
Origin: "Bring a donkey and load it with fava beans": the picture is a crowd where anyone can come and help themselves. The phrase is said of a chaotic situation in which there is no order and anyone can do as they please. No particular story or first use is documented.
More Persian idioms
- نوشدارو بعد از مرگ سهراب (Nushdaroo ba'd az marg-e Sohraab) A solution that arrives uselessly too late.
- آب از سرش گذشته (âb az sarash gozashte) It is already too late to save the situation.
- گربه را دم حجله کشتن (gorbe rā dam-e hejle koshtan) To assert authority firmly from the very start.
- مرغ همسایه غاز است (morgh-e hamsāye ghāz ast) The grass is always greener next door.
- از این ستون به آن ستون فرج است (az in sotun be ān sotun faraj ast) Even a small change may bring hope.
- قربونت برم (ghorbunet beram) An affectionate thank-you or term of endearment — 'you're so dear to me'.
Explore another collection: False Friends
Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.
- Firma Actually means 'signature'. Metti la tua firma = Put your signature here.
- Magazzino Actually means 'warehouse' or 'storeroom'. A magazine (periodical) is una rivista.
- Conveniente Actually means 'affordable', 'good value', or 'suitable'. È conveniente = It's a good dea…
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