в Тулу со своим самоваром (v Tulu so svoim samovarom)
Meaning: To do something pointless or wasteful; to bring something unnecessary or redundant to a place that already has it in abundance.
Language: Russian
Literally: to Tula with one's own samovar
Category: Daily Life
Origin: Tula, a Russian city famous for its metalwork and samovars, would have no need for someone to bring a samovar there. The phrase parallels the English 'coals to Newcastle.'
More idioms — Daily Life
- до свадьбы заживёт (do svad'by zazhivyot) — A minor injury or problem will resolve itself naturally and quickly.
- наступить дважды на одни и те же грабли (nastupitʹ dvazhdy na odni i te zhe grabli) — To repeat the same mistake or fall into the same trap a second time.
- козырная карта (kozyrnaya karta) — A decisive advantage or secret resource held in reserve.
- оставаться в дураках (ostavat'sya v durakakh) — To be tricked or made a fool of; to lose or come out the worse in a situation.
- под башмаком (pod bashmakóm) — Dominated or controlled by one's wife; henpecked.
- отложить в долгий ящик (otlozhit' v dolgiy yashchik) — To postpone or shelve something indefinitely, leaving it forgotten.
More Russian idioms
- за тридевять земель (za tridevyat' zemel') — An extremely distant, remote place; somewhere impossibly far away.
- проверять на вшивость (proveryat' na shivost') — To scrutinize or investigate someone closely to uncover hidden faults or problems; to vet…
- в долгах как в шелках (v dolgakh kak v shelkakh) — To be deeply and hopelessly in debt.
- положа руку на сердце (polozhá ruku na sérdtse) — Speaking with complete sincerity and honesty.
- давать на чай (davat' na chay) — To give a tip or small payment to a service worker.
- ежовые рукавицы (ezhovye rukavitsy) — Harsh, strict, or iron-fisted rule or discipline.
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