IdiomDaily Life
Russian
Russianсарафанное радио (sarafannoe radio)
Meaning: The informal spread of gossip or news from person to person, especially by word of mouth.
Literally: Sarafan radio
Example: “О новой пекарне узнали через сарафанное радио.” — People heard about the new bakery by word of mouth.
English equivalent: By word of mouth
Equivalents in other languages
English: by word of mouth
Origin: The сарафан is the traditional long sleeveless dress of Russian peasant women, and "sarafan radio" is the village women passing news and gossip by word of mouth, faster than any broadcast. Russian Wiktionary gives this explanation. The phrase is now used of word-of-mouth publicity in general, including in marketing.
More Russian idioms
- козёл отпущения (kozjol otpushchenija) A person blamed or punished for the wrongs of others; a scapegoat.
- молоко на губах не обсохло (moloko na gubakh ne obsokhlo) a very young or inexperienced person; someone barely past infancy.
- Чья бы корова мычала, а твоя бы молчала (Ch'ya by korova mychala, a tvoya by molchala) You're in no position to criticize; you have the same fault, or a worse one.
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- Не вешай лапшу на уши (Ne veshay lapshu na ushi) Don't lie to me; stop trying to deceive me.
- Когда рак на горе свистнет (Kogda rak na gore svistnet) When pigs fly; never.
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