If you have already learned some Russian, you probably know that Russian idioms can be very confusing. Some Russian teachers try to avoid them, but these phrases are often used by native speakers, so it is useful to learn. Today we are going to look at the most popular Russian idioms that involve body parts: head, arms, and legs.
Russian idioms with the word голова “head”
Usually, the word голова “head” in an expression refers to general intelligence, like in these idioms:
Ветер в голове – To be a featherbrain
Ломать голову – To think hard
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Free and effective!Человек с головой – Pearson of understanding
Каша в голове – One’s thoughts are in a muddle
Вылететь из головы – To be forgotten suddenly and completely
Sometimes it means “person”:
Валить с больной головы на здоровую – To take the blame from someone who is guilty and put it on someone who is not guilty
In others it is used as it is, a body part:
Как снег на голову – Totally unexpectedly
Повесить голову – To lose hope
С ног на голову – Being opposite to what it is in reality
Russian idioms with the word рука “arm”
Рука “arm” is often used in idioms as a representation of a skill, mastery:
Мастер на все руки – Jack of all trades
Рука набита – To be skilled
Most often it is used literally as a body part:
Рукой подать – Very close
Прибрать к рукам – Get one’s hands on it
Сидеть сложа руки – Sit back
Работать не покладая рук – Work tirelessly
Russian idioms with the word нога “leg”
The word нога “leg” is mostly used in expressions that involve movement, its natural function:
Убегать со всех ног – Run away as fast as you can
Еле волочить ноги – To be very tired
Одна нога здесь, другая там – To be very fast
Идти в ногу со временем – To keep up with the times
Сбиться с ног – Run off one’s feet
Уносить ноги – Get out of here
Sometimes idioms with this word have their meaning, with no reference to movement:
Спать без задних ног – To be fast asleep
Потерять почву под ногами – To lose one’s sense of security
Встать не с той ноги – To be in a bad mood
As you may see from the translations, some idioms tend to have an international meaning. Are some of these idioms familiar with the ones in your native language?