Rzucać grochem o ścianę
Meaning: To plead with someone who will not listen.
Language: Polish
Literally: To throw peas at the wall
Category: Food & Drink
Origin: Dried peas bounce off plaster leaving no trace — a centuries-old Polish image for words wasted on deaf ears.
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
- Vietnamese: Nước đổ lá khoai — literally: Water poured on a taro leaf
More idioms — Food & Drink
- 국수를 먹다 (Guksu-reul meokda) — To attend a wedding — or, asked as a question, when will you marry?
- حط في بطنك بطيخة صيفي (ḥuṭṭ fī baṭnak baṭīkha ṣayfī) — Relax completely; do not worry about a thing.
- दाल में कुछ काला है (daal mein kuchh kaalaa hai) — Something suspicious is going on.
- Å koke bort i kålen — To come to nothing; to fizzle out unresolved.
- At gå agurk — To go crazy or berserk.
- Maksaa maltaita — To cost a fortune.
More Polish idioms
- Bułka z masłem — Something very easy; a piece of cake.
- Wiercić komuś dziurę w brzuchu — To nag someone relentlessly.
- Czuć do kogoś miętę — To have a crush on someone.
- Być nie w sosie — To be in a bad mood.
- Robić kogoś w konia — To make a fool of or trick someone.
- Mieć węża w kieszeni — To be very stingy.
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