Lost in Literal

🇷🇺 Russian, taken literally

держать язык за зубами

deer-ZHAT' ee-ZYK za zoo-BA-mee · derzhat' yazyk za zubami

Literally

to keep one's tongue behind one's teeth

What it really means

to keep one's mouth shut

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Russian, taken literally

Кот наплакалa cat cried [this much]Вешать лапшу на ушиto hang noodles on [someone's] ears Не в своей тарелкеnot in one's own plate Руки не доходятthe hands don't reach [it]Зарубить на носуcarve a notch on [your] nose Вставлять палки в колёсаstick sticks into the wheels