IdiomBody & Senses
Hindi
Hindiनाक में दम करना (naak mein dam karna)
Meaning: To harass or pester relentlessly.
Literally: To make someone's breath come through their nose
Example: “पड़ोस के बच्चों ने शोर मचाकर नाक में दम कर दिया है।” — The neighbor's kids are getting on my nerves with their noise.
English equivalent: To get on someone's nerves
Equivalents in other languages
French: Casser les pieds à quelqu'un Literally: To break someone's feet
German: Jemandem auf den Keks gehen Literally: To go on someone's biscuit- French: Taper sur le système Literally: To run on the bean / to bang on the system
English: be a pain in the neck- English: get on someone's nerves
Origin: Dam is breath. Making someone's breath come through their nose, out of breath and exhausted, is harassing them until they can bear no more. No particular story lies behind it.
More Hindi idioms
- नाक रगड़ना (nāk ragaṛnā) To grovel and beg humbly.
- आसमान सिर पर उठाना (aasmaan sir par uthaana) To raise a huge uproar.
- ऊँट के मुँह में जीरा (Ūṅṭ ke muṅh meṅ jīrā) A laughably tiny amount for something that needs much more.
- बंदर क्या जाने अदरक का स्वाद (bandar kya jaane adrak ka svaad) An ignorant person can't appreciate something refined.
- नाच न जाने आंगन टेढ़ा (naach na jaane aangan tedha) A bad workman blames his tools.
- दाल में कुछ काला है (daal mein kuchh kaalaa hai) Something suspicious is going on.
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