Russianразвесистая клюква (razvestistaya klyukva)
Meaning: Ignorant stereotypes and tall tales about Russia, especially those peddled by foreigners.
Literally: Spreading cranberry
Example: “Медведи на улицах Москвы — типичная развесистая клюква.” — Bears on the streets of Moscow is a typical tall tale.
English equivalent: To tell tall tales
Origin: "A spreading cranberry tree": cranberries grow on tiny creeping shrubs, so a traveler resting in the shade of one is an obvious invention. The phrase is recorded from no later than 1907 and is a Russian parody of the absurd things foreigners wrote about Russia. It is often wrongly attributed to Alexandre Dumas, but Serov's dictionary of catchphrases notes that nothing of the kind appears in his writings on Russia.
More Russian idioms
- сыграть в ящик (sygrat' v yashchik) To die.
- нашего полку прибыло (nashego polku pribylo) Another person has joined a group or shared predicament; a welcome to the club.
- на славу (na slavu) Excellently; very well; in a first-rate manner.
- пускаться во все тяжкие (puskat'sya vo vse tyazhkiye) To abandon restraint and indulge recklessly in vices or wrongdoing without scruple.
- на коленке (na kolenke) Done hastily and without proper tools or technique; improvised or makeshift.
- сарафанное радио (sarafannoe radio) The informal spread of gossip or news from person to person, especially by word of mouth.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
Short sayings of timeless wisdom from more than 50 cultures, each with its meaning and origin.
- Один в поле не воин (Odin v pole ne voin) One person alone can't achieve much.
- Видит око, да зуб неймёт (Vidit oko, da zub neymyot) You can see what you want but can't get it.
- Язык мой — враг мой (Yazyk moy — vrag moy) Careless talk gets you into trouble.
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