One idea · 5 languages

“Like talking to a brick wall”in other languages

Talking to someone who won't listen.

  • English
  • Chinese
  • Japanese
  • Polish
  • Vietnamese
English
like talking to a brick wall
Chinese
对牛弹琴 duì niú tán qín literally Playing the lute to a cow
Japanese
馬の耳に念仏 Uma no mimi ni nenbutsu literally A Buddhist prayer in a horse's ear
Polish
Rzucać grochem o ścianę literally To throw peas at the wall
Vietnamese
Nước đổ lá khoai literally Water poured on a taro leaf
Behind the words

Same idea, different pictures

English talks to a wall, and Polish throws peas at it, rzucać grochem o ścianę: they bounce off and leave no trace. Vietnamese pours water on a taro leaf, nước đổ lá khoai, which is waxy, so the water just rolls off.

Chinese plays the lute to an ox, 对牛弹琴, and Japanese recites a prayer into a horse's ear, uma no mimi ni nenbutsu. Beautiful, and completely wasted.

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