IdiomDaily Life
Russian
Russianходить вокруг да около (khodit' vokrug da okolo)
Meaning: To avoid speaking plainly; to approach a subject indirectly or evasively.
Literally: To walk around yes and near
Example: “Не ходи вокруг да около, скажи цену.” — Stop beating around the bush and tell me the price.
English equivalent: To beat around the bush
Equivalents in other languages
German: Um den heißen Brei herumreden Literally: To talk around the hot porridge
French: Tourner autour du pot Literally: To turn around the pot
English: beat around the bush
Thai: ชักแม่น้ำทั้งห้า Literally: To invoke all five rivers
Italian: menare il can per l'aia Literally: To lead the dog through the courtyard
Origin: Walking "around and about" something without ever reaching it is avoiding the point. Russian uses it for evasive talk, like English "beat around the bush" and German um den heißen Brei herumreden. Its first use is not documented.
More Russian idioms
- гнать в три шеи (gnat' v tri shei) To expel or drive someone away forcefully and without ceremony.
- полтора землекопа (poltora zemlyekopa) A ridiculously small number of people; a handful.
- язык проглотил (yazyk proglotil) To be unable or unwilling to speak; to remain silent when words are called for.
- метать бисер перед свиньями (metat' biser pered svin'yami) To offer something precious or refined to someone incapable of appreciating it.
- сушить сухари (sushit' sukhari) To prepare oneself mentally and materially for imprisonment or arrest.
- отбросить копыта (otbrosit' kopyta) To die, to kick the bucket.
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