like talking to a brick wall
Meaning: Speaking to someone who does not listen or respond.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “Asking my teenager to tidy up is like talking to a brick wall.”
Category: Daily Life
Origin: A wall hears nothing and answers nothing. Versions with "wall" and "brick wall" are common from the 19th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- Japanese: 馬の耳に念仏 (Uma no mimi ni nenbutsu) — literally: A Buddhist prayer in a horse's ear
- Chinese: 对牛弹琴 (duì niú tán qín) — literally: Playing the lute to a cow
- Polish: Rzucać grochem o ścianę — literally: To throw peas at the wall
- Vietnamese: Nước đổ lá khoai — literally: Water poured on a taro leaf
More idioms — Daily Life
- have a thing for someone — To be attracted to someone.
- a vicious circle — A situation where one problem causes another, which makes the first worse.
- a ballpark figure — A rough estimate.
- make someone's life hell — To make someone very unhappy for a long time.
- sweep something under the rug — To hide a problem instead of dealing with it.
- play for time — To delay deliberately in the hope of improving one's position.
More English idioms
- too many cooks spoil the broth — When too many people work on something, the result is worse.
- birds of a feather flock together — People with similar interests or character tend to spend time together.
- wish the ground would swallow one up — To feel so embarrassed that one wants to disappear.
- have one's head screwed on — To be sensible and practical.
- a bird-brain — A silly or scatterbrained person.
- toss one's cookies — To vomit.
From our false friends
- Oldtimer — Actually means 'vintage car' or 'classic aircraft'. A veteran person is ein Veteran.
- Camera — Actually means 'room'. A camera (device) is una macchina fotografica.
- Pretendere — Actually means 'to demand' or 'to expect'. Pretende troppo = He demands too much.