# Cats in Vietnamese idioms



## tio (Dec 18, 2003)

I know only one English idiom related to cat: "it rains cats and dogs". In Vietnamese language in general and Vietnamese literature in particular, there are also idioms with cat images. For example: 


_Con mèo mà trèo cây cau 
Hỏi thăm chú chuột đi đâu vắng nhà. 
Chú chuột đi chợ đường xa 
Mua mắm mua muối giỗ cha chú mèo. _


This is a folk-song, or I think it's a fable poem, about cat and mouse. I can't make it become an English poem but I try to translate it plainly. 


_A cat climbed to an areca to ask after a mouse. 
The cat was amazed because the mouse went out of the house. 
In fact, the mouse was going to a distant market 
To buy goods for the death anniversary of cat's father. _


Many people argue about the meaning of this folk-song but nobody can explain exactly. They can agree only one point that it's an interesting poem.


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## seashell (Dec 5, 2003)

*cats in vietnamese idioms*

That's an intruiging poem. I guess its trying to say that you shouldn't make assumptions abouts people's motives.

I can think of another English idiom 'To let the cat out of the bag', meaning to accidentaly reveal a secret or deception. It's supposed to originate from when small animals were sold in markets in sacks. Dishonest traders would sell a bag pretending it contained a small pig, when really there would just be a stray cat inside. If the cat managed to get out of the bag and show itself before the money changed hands, the deception would be revealed. Hence, 'Let the cat our of the bag'  

Also, what about 'The Cat's Whiskers' or (more old-fashioned) 'The Cat's Pyjamas' meaning looking really smart.

Or - 'A cat can look at a King', 'Curiosity Killed the Cat' 'Not a Cat in ****'s chance'. There are quite a few, now I come to think of it :!:


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## Bean (Mar 10, 2003)

Don't forgot "curiosity killed the cat".


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## kristi (Sep 19, 2003)

Neat poem.

Here are more cat-isms: 

The cat's got your tongue
Nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs
More than one way to skin a cat (yes, that one's gross)


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## kitkat (Sep 22, 2003)

"Quick as a cat" is another one. Its interesting about the cat in the bag deal, I didn't know thats how it got started! You learn something new all the time


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## tio (Dec 18, 2003)

kristi said:


> The cat's got your tongue



Is the meaning of its "silent", Kristi?


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## queen of the nile (Aug 16, 2003)

Tio, yes that phrase means "silent", but more specifically means "why do you not speak?" It is often used when a person cannot answer a question or reply to a witty comment.


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## shlanon (Oct 16, 2003)

Curiosity killed the cat
But satisfaction brought it back! :lol:


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## Larry Chamberlain (Aug 16, 2003)

"Not enough room to swing a cat"

Which I think originates from the Cat 'o Nine Tails


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