IdiomNature
Vietnamese
VietnameseNước đổ lá khoai
Meaning: Advice or effort that has no effect at all; in one ear and out the other.
Literally: Water poured on a taro leaf
Example: “Khuyên nó bỏ thuốc lá như nước đổ lá khoai.” — Telling him to quit smoking is like talking to a brick wall.
English equivalent: Like talking to a brick wall
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
English: like talking to a brick wall
Origin: Taro leaves are coated with a waxy surface, so water poured on them rolls straight off. Advice that is like water on a taro leaf makes no impression at all. English uses water off a duck's back for the same idea.
More Vietnamese idioms
- Cõng rắn cắn gà nhà To bring in an outsider who harms your own people.
- Ăn cơm nhà vác tù và hàng tổng To do thankless public work at your own expense.
- Đứng núi này trông núi nọ Never satisfied with what you have; the grass is always greener.
- Ăn cháo đá bát To be ungrateful and turn on those who helped you.
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