один с сошкой, а семеро с ложкой (odin s soshkoy, a semero s lozhkoy)
Meaning: many people live off the labor of one worker.
Language: Russian
Literally: one with a plow, and seven with a spoon
Category: Daily Life
Origin: Origin uncertain; the image contrasts a single person doing productive work (the plow) with seven dependents eating from his effort (the spoon).
More idioms — Daily Life
- зарывать свой талант в землю (zaryvat' svoy talant v zemlyu) — to waste or hide one's natural gifts instead of using them.
- своя рубашка ближе к телу (svoya rubashka blizhe k telu) — self-interest comes before charity; one should prioritize one's own welfare and family.
- ходить вокруг да около (khodit' vokrug da okolo) — To avoid speaking plainly; to approach a subject indirectly or evasively.
- пан или пропал (pan ili propal) — To risk everything on a single venture; all or nothing, sink or swim.
- огород городить (ogorod gorodit') — To make a fuss or create complicated problems over something trivial; to engage in useles…
- сыграть в ящик (sygrat' v yashchik) — To die.
More Russian idioms
- сила есть — ума не надо (sila yest — uma ne nado) — a person who is physically strong but intellectually weak or stupid.
- в лес дрова возить (v les drova vozit') — to do something pointless or redundant; to offer something to someone who already has ple…
- сражаться с ветряными мельницами (srazhat'sya s vetryanymi mel'nitsami) — To struggle against imaginary or futile enemies; to waste effort on impossible causes.
- гнать в три шеи (gnat' v tri shei) — To expel or drive someone away forcefully and without ceremony.
- полтора землекопа (poltora zemlyekopa) — An absurdly small group; a nonsensical quantity that defies rational measure.
- язык проглотил (yazyk proglotil) — To be unable or unwilling to speak; to remain silent when words are called for.
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