Home › Idioms

Гладна мечка хоро не играе

Meaning: Nothing gets done on an empty stomach.

Language: Bulgarian

Literally: A hungry bear doesn't dance

Category: Animals

Origin: From the trained dancing bears of the Balkans, which would only perform once they had been fed.

More idioms — Animals

  • Iti rakom žvižgat — To go to ruin; to fall apart.
  • Vilką minim, vilkas čia — Speak of the devil.
  • Pūst pīlītes — To tell tall tales; to fib.
  • Iga kana kraabib enda poole — Everyone looks out for their own interest.
  • Jänes püksis — To be a coward; to get cold feet.
  • Ada udang di sebalik batu — There is a hidden motive.

More Bulgarian idioms

  • Бели кахъри — Trivial, almost pleasant things to fret over.
  • На баба ми хвърчилото — Something utterly irrelevant or nonsensical.
  • Обръщам дебелия край — To start treating someone harshly.

← Back to Idioms

Loading the full interactive collection…