IdiomDaily Life
Russian
Russianнечего греха таить (nechego grekha tait')
Meaning: Truth be told; one might as well admit something true and damning rather than conceal it.
Literally: Nothing of sin to hide
Example: “Нечего греха таить, я и сам опоздал.” — Truth be told, I was late myself.
English equivalent: Truth be told
Equivalents in other languages
English: truth be told
Origin: "There's no sin to hide": the speaker admits something that might be held against them. The phrase, also что греха таить, introduces a frank confession, and Russian phrase dictionaries list it as a standard set phrase. It has no particular story behind it.
More Russian idioms
- молоко на губах не обсохло (moloko na gubakh ne obsokhlo) a very young or inexperienced person; someone barely past infancy.
- Чья бы корова мычала, а твоя бы молчала (Ch'ya by korova mychala, a tvoya by molchala) You're in no position to criticize; you have the same fault, or a worse one.
- Игра не стоит свеч (Igra ne stoit svech) The effort or money spent won't be repaid by the result.
- Не вешай лапшу на уши (Ne veshay lapshu na ushi) Don't lie to me; stop trying to deceive me.
- Когда рак на горе свистнет (Kogda rak na gore svistnet) When pigs fly; never.
- Медвежья услуга (Medvezhya usluga) Help that actually makes things worse.
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- У тебя золотые руки (u tebya zolotye ruki) You're extraordinarily skilled — able to make or fix anything with your hands.
- Золотые руки (Zolotye ruki) You're wonderfully skilled with your hands — a true master at making and fixing things.
- Без царя в голове (Bez tsarya v golove) Foolish and reckless — with no one in charge upstairs.
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