ездить в Тулу со своим самоваром
Meaning: To do something entirely pointless or unnecessary, bringing what is already abundant in that place.
Language: Russian
Literally: to drive to Tula with one's own samovar
Category: The Absurd
Origin: Tula is a Russian city historically famous for its samovar manufacture; the phrase pictures the absurdity of carrying your own samovar there, where they are made and plentiful.
More idioms — The Absurd
- сражаться с ветряными мельницами — To struggle against imaginary or futile enemies; to waste effort on impossible causes.
- полтора землекопа — An absurdly small group; a nonsensical quantity that defies rational measure.
- на честном слове и на одном крыле — Succeeding or surviving by the barest margin, through luck or desperation rather than sol…
- ври больше — An expression of dismissive disbelief; an ironical way of saying someone's story is uncon…
- пускаться во все тяжкие — To abandon restraint and indulge recklessly in vices or wrongdoing without scruple.
- хоть ложись и умирай — There is no escape or solution; one must accept an impossible or desperate situation.
More Russian idioms
- лежачий полицейский — A speed bump or traffic calming device.
- надуться как мышь на крупу — To become angry or offended; to sulk or huff indignantly.
- пудрить мозги — To mislead someone with false or nonsensical talk; to deceive or confuse deliberately.
- один с сошкой, а семеро с ложкой — many people live off the labor of one worker.
- сила есть — ума не надо — a person who is physically strong but intellectually weak or stupid.
- зарывать свой талант в землю — to waste or hide one's natural gifts instead of using them.
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