IdiomNature
German
Germannah am Wasser gebaut
Meaning: Someone who cries easily or is prone to tears.
Literally: Built close to water
Example: “Meine Tante ist nah am Wasser gebaut; sogar Werbespots rühren sie.” — My aunt cries at the drop of a hat; even commercials move her.
English equivalent: To cry at the drop of a hat
Equivalents in other languages
English: cry at the drop of a hat
Origin: German calls many body fluids Wasser, tears among them, and speaks of eyes being flooded. Someone whose house is built close to the water is always at risk of being flooded, and so someone nah am Wasser gebaut cries easily. Redensarten-Index dates the phrase to the late 19th century.
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