ตำน้ำพริกละลายแม่น้ำ

Meaning: To squander resources for nothing.

Language: Thai

Literally: To pound chili paste and dissolve it in the river

Category: Food & Drink

Origin: Dumping precious curry paste into an entire river yields no soup — effort and money utterly wasted.

More idioms — Food & Drink

• Fer cara de pomes agres — To look sullen and cross.
• Fer figa — To give way or fail — of legs, knees or a plan.
• Nou is die gort gaar — Now we're really in trouble.
• Rúsínan í pylsuendanum — A pleasant, unexpected bonus at the very end.
• Balat-sibuyas — Overly sensitive and easily hurt.
• Kacang lupakan kulit — To forget your roots and origins.

More Thai idioms

• ขี่ช้างจับตั๊กแตน — To use enormous means for a trivial result.
• น้ำขึ้นให้รีบตัก — Seize an opportunity while it lasts.
• ชักแม่น้ำทั้งห้า — To give a long-winded, roundabout justification before getting to the point.
• จับปลาสองมือ — To chase two goals at once and risk losing both.

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