Idioms are integral to everyday language globally, adding colour and depth to communication. They convey complex ideas and emotions succinctly, reflecting cultural nuances and enhancing the richness of dialogue.
လက္ခဏာပါးရှား
/ lakhkanar parr sharr /
• Facing financial difficulties and a challenging life
• Dealing with financial hardships and a tough life
• Experiencing economic struggles and a demanding existence
According to palmistry, a person’s fate is thought to be shaped by the patterns and lines found on their palms.
If someone has few or faint lines on their palms, it is believed that their future will be unfavourable. Consequently, a person with a complicated life or one who is financially struggling is often described as having few lines on their palms.
This Myanmar idiom uses palmistry, an ancient practice of interpreting the lines and shapes on a person’s palms to predict their future and character traits.
In this belief system, the presence of lines is seen as indicative of destiny and fortune. When someone is described as having “scanty lines”, it suggests that their life may be marked by hardship or lack of opportunity.
The idiom reflects cultural attitudes towards fate and success, equating visible signs on the palms with the quality of a person’s life.
USAGES
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
• Meaning: Confronted with a tough choice where all options are challenging.
• Example: Mark was between a rock and a hard place when he had to choose between pursuing further education or accepting a low-paying job.
Down on One’s Luck
• Meaning: Experiencing a streak of bad fortune or adversity.
• Example: After his business failed, Tom was down on his luck, struggling to cover his basic expenses.
Struggling to Make Ends Meet
• Meaning: Finding it hard to balance income with expenses due to financial strain.
• Example: With soaring rent and flat wages, many families are struggling to make ends meet.
လက္ခဏာပါးရှား / lakhkanar parr sharr /
လက်ပမ်းပေါက်ခတ် /lakpam:paukhkat/
လက်ပိုက်ကြည့် / laat pite krany /
Caught in a Rut
• Meaning: Feeling trapped in a repetitive or unsatisfying situation with no apparent way out.
• Example: Laura felt caught in a rut after spending years in a dead-end job, unable to envision a better future.
A Hard Row to Hoe
• Meaning: Facing a challenging and demanding task or circumstance.
• Example: Launching a new business is a hard row to hoe, fraught with numerous challenges and hurdles.
Biting the Bullet
• Meaning: Confronting a harsh or unpleasant situation with determination, often when there’s no other option.
• Example: With mounting debts, Jake had to bite the bullet and seek out extra sources of income.
When It Rains, It Pours
• Meaning: Experiencing a series of problems or misfortunes occurring at once.
• Example: Losing his job was just the beginning; when it rains, it pours – now his refrigerator has broken down, too!
လက်ပမ်းပေါက်ခတ်
/lakpam:paukhkat/
• The gesture represents triumph and showcases one’s power and expertise.
• Action signifies success and highlights the individual’s strengths and abilities.
• The movement indicates victory and displays both prowess and capability.
The expression “to slap one’s upper arms with the palms” originates from traditional Myanmar-style boxing or wrestling. After a fighter wins or issues a challenge, they strike their upper arms with their palms, producing a loud, sharp noise. This gesture symbolizes victory and demonstrates strength and skill.
In essence, this idiom represents the act of boasting about one’s achievements or potential success. It conveys a sense of self-promotion and bravado, where an individual highlights their prowess or future capabilities before they are fully realized. The act of slapping one’s upper arms emphasizes dominance and confidence, making it a metaphor for overconfidence or showing off.
Beyond sports, the idiom is used to describe individuals who flaunt their abilities or potential achievements in social contexts.
It reflects the broader human desire to showcase one’s skills and gain recognition, capturing the essence of competitiveness and self-validation both in athletic and everyday scenarios.
USAGES:
Toot One’s Own Horn
• Meaning: To boast or brag about one’s own achievements or skills.
• Example: After winning the competition, Sarah couldn’t resist tooting her own horn about her exceptional performance.
Pound One’s Chest
• Meaning: To brag or flaunt one’s successes or achievements.
• Example: Since his promotion, Mark has been pounding his chest in the office, showing off his new status.
Blow One’s Own Trumpet
• Meaning: To speak proudly of one’s own accomplishments or skills.
• Example: I don’t mean to blow my own trumpet, but my project was the most successful in the team’s history.
Show One’s True Colors
• Meaning: To reveal one’s genuine character or intentions, often after hiding them.
• Example: During the meeting, she showed her true colours by taking credit for others’ work.
Walk Tall
• Meaning: To act with confidence and pride, especially following an achievement.
• Example: After receiving the award, he walked tall, clearly proud of his accomplishment.
Strike a Pose
• Meaning: To adopt a particular stance or position to impress or attract attention.
• Example: The athlete struck a pose for the cameras, eager to display her strength and confidence.
Hit the Ground Running
• Meaning: To start a new task or project with immediate energy and enthusiasm.
• Example: The team is prepared to hit the ground running with the new project and is eager to demonstrate their capabilities.
လက်ပိုက်ကြည့်
/ laat pite krany /
• To stay unconcerned and avoid taking action, even when intervention is necessary.
• To be dispassionate and abstain from involvement despite the need for a response.
• To show a lack of interest and not engage, even when action could be required.
“To look on with folded arms” describes a situation where someone remains indifferent and refrains from intervening, even when action might be needed.
This Myanmar idiom illustrates passive observation, where a person stands still with arms crossed, signalling a lack of concern or engagement. It often reflects a choice to ignore or overlook an issue, either due to personal disinterest, a belief that the situation does not directly affect them, or a lack of motivation to act.
The phrase conveys apathy or resignation and critiques those who avoid taking responsibility or offering support in critical situations. By highlighting the moral implications of inaction, it underscores how indifference can contribute to unresolved problems affecting individuals and communities alike. Ultimately, the idiom emphasizes the importance of actively addressing issues rather than passively observing, pointing to the broader consequences of choosing not to intervene.
USAGES:
Turn a Blind Eye
• Meaning: To deliberately ignore something wrong or illegal.
• Example: The manager turned a blind eye to the employee’s misconduct, hoping it would sort itself out without needing intervention.
Sit on the Fence
• Meaning: To remain neutral or undecided, not taking a side.
• Example: During the debate, Julie chose to sit on the fence, avoiding taking a stance on the controversial issue.
Bystander Effect
• Meaning: The phenomenon where people are less likely to assist in an emergency when others are present.
• Example: The bystander effect often causes people to assume someone else will step in during a crisis.
Watch the World Go By
• Meaning: To passively observe events around you without participating.
• Example: In retirement, Carl enjoys sitting in the park and watching the world go by, enjoying the hustle and bustle without getting involved.
Take a Backseat
• Meaning: To adopt a less prominent role and let others take the lead.
• Example: Jessica decided to take a backseat during the project, allowing her more assertive colleagues to lead the team.
Leave It Be
• Meaning: To refrain from interfering or getting involved in a situation.
• Example: When his friends argued, David opted to leave it be, avoiding taking sides or escalating the situation.
Keep One’s Nose Out of It
• Meaning: To stay uninvolved in other people’s affairs or problems.
• Example: Although he wanted to help, Tom decided to keep his nose out of it and let his friends handle their own issues.
