1. The Comparison between Indonesian
Idiom and English Idiom
Created by :
Sefty Hanida Fitriyani
KKI11312133
International Class Program of STAIN Salatiga,
Central Java, Indonesia

2. • A CHIP ON YOUR SHOULDER
= Being upset for something that happened in the past, in Bahasa we call bingung/kalap karena
peristiwa yang telah lalu
Example: He lost his game this morning, and now
he has a chip on his shoulder.
Dia kalah dalam permainan pagi ini, dan sekarang dia
menjadi kalap.
• A CLIFFHANGER
= Uncertain thing or similar in Bahasa with sesuatu yang tak menentu.
Example: The politic scandal becomes a cliffhanger
Skandal politik menjadi sesuatu yang tak menentu

3. • A BLESSING IN DISGUISE
= Something good that isn't recognized at first, and in Bahasa we call pelajaran / berkah/
hikmah yang tersembunyi di balik peristiwa
Example: The 2004 earthquake has a blessing in disguise.
Gempa bumi tahun 2004 memberikan berkah yang tersembunyi.
another example in illustration
• A CHILD’S PLAY
= Small/easy thing that you consider it. Bahasa says perkara mudah / kecil.
Example: It is a matter of a child's play.
lni masalah kecil.

4. • A HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINTS ITSELF CANNOT STAND
= Everyone involved must unify and function together or it will not work out. Bahasa says
Bersatu kita teguh bercerai kita runtuh.( and in Arabic )
Example: A Teamwork is like a house divided againts itself cannot stand
Kerja Tim seperti Keteguhan jika bersatu, dan keruntuhan jika bercerai/tak satu.

5. • A PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED
= By not spending money, you are saving money (little by little). It is similar in Bahasa with Sedikit
demi sedikit lama-lama menjadi bukit
• ALL IN THE SAME BOAT
= When everyone is facing the same challenges.
Bahasa says satu teman seperjuangan.
Example: The key of success of 3th graduate is they think
that they are all in the same boat .
Kunci kesuksesan kelas 3 adalah mereka berfikir
bahwa mereka satu teman seperjuangan
Example: She puts to use a penny saved is a penny
earned by saving money in a Bank.
Dia menerapkan sedikit demi sedikit lama-
lama menjadi bukit dengan menabung di
Bank.

6. • A TASTE OF YOUR OWN MEDICINE
= When you are mistreated the same way you mistreat others, and in Bahasa we call Barang
siapa yang mendzolimi maka ia akan didzolomi/karma.( and in Arabic )
Example: Julie ever slapped her friend, and finally she
got a taste of her own medicine by her boy slap.
Julie pernah menampar temannya dan akhirnya dia
mendapat karma dengan tamparan kekasihnya
• A DROP IN THE BUCKET
= A very small part of something big or whole/ unimportant amount,
and in Bahasa we call jumlah yang tidak penting/berpengaruh/
tidak ada apa-apanya
What we were paid for our work was a drop in the bucket
compared to what the company earned.
Apa yang kita dapatkan/bayaran atas kerja kita tidak ada apa-apanya
dibandingkan dengan apa yang perusahaan hasilkan.

7. • BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW
= *To take on a task that is way too big, *to take or try on a challenge that is too big, *to try to do more
than you are able to do, *to accept more responsibility than you can handle . And Bahasa says
mengambil/mencoba jalan atau cara yang sulit/ resiko besar, mencoba melakukan di luar batas
kemampuan kita
Example:
If you bite off more than you can chew things might be difficult for you
Jika kamu mengambil cara yang sulit mungkin ini akan susah untukmu

8. • BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
= Stuck between two very bad options, , to find yourself in a position where any outcome of a difficult
decision or situation results in some sort of difficulties. And Bahasa says terhimpit di antara dua pilihan
yang buruk
The boy is caught between a rock and a hard place.
Anak itu terperangkap di antara dua pilihan yang buruk

9. • BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY
= Being careful is probably more desirable than risking a bad result. Bahasa says Lebih baik bersiap-siap
daripada menyesal nanti (Sedia payung sebelum hujan)
Example:
Concerned about attacks, he sent his son out of the
village, figuring, better safe than sorry.
Mengenai tentang penyerangan, dia mengirim
anaknya keluar desa, dengan mempertimbangkan,
lebih baik bersiap-siap daripada menyesal.
Another example in illustration

10. • BITE YOUR TOUNGE
=To avoid talking or to stop yourself from saying something that you would really like to say, and
Bahasa says menutup mulut (tidak berbicara)
atau menghindari pembicaraan/ percakapan.
Example:
I wanted to tell him exactly what I thought of him,
but I had to bite my tongue.
Aku ingin mengatakan padanya secara langsung apa yang
Aku pikirkan mengenai dia, tetapi harus menutup mulut/
menahannya.

11. • CRACK SOMEONE UP
=To make someone laugh unrestrainedly. In Bahasa we call membuat orang tertawa terbahak-bahak/
terpingkal-pingkal .
Example:
I agree. Tom is so funny. He’s jokes always crack me
up.
Aku setuju. Tom sangat lucu. Candaannya selalu
membuatku tertawa terpingkal-pingkal.

12. • CROSS YOUR FINGERS
=To hope that something happens the way you want it
to, or it means to try to make something happen by
wishing that it will happen. In Bahasa we call
mengharapkan sesuatu terjadi sesuai dengan keinginan.
(dengan menyilangkan 2 jari)
Example:
I don’t know what will I get for my birthday, but I am crossing
my fingers that it will be a bicycle.
Aku tidak tahu apa yang akan aku dapat di hari ulang tahunku, tapi
aku sangat berharap itu sepeda.

13. Example:
If I didn’t have a cast-iron
stomach, I
couldn’t eat this stuff. (Fred-known
for his cast-iron stomach-ate ten hot
peppers)
Jika aku tidak memiliki perut karet,
aku tidak akan makan semua ini.
• CAST IRON STOMACH
= a very strong stomach that can withstand bad food or anything nauseating. In Bahasa we call perut
karet (karena kerakusannya, dia makan sangat banyak dan tak mengenal kenyang).

14. • CRY WOLF
= to ask for help when you do not need it, with the result that no one believes you when help is
necessary or intentionally raise a false alarm. In Bahasa, we say menyiarkan berita bohong; berulang-
ulang menyerukan tanda bahaya palsu.
Example: She had repeatedly rung the police for trivial reasons and perhaps she had cried wolf too often.
Dia berulang-ulang memanggil polisi karenal alasan yang sepele dan mungkin dia sudah terlalu sering berbohong
another example
in illustration

15. • DRIVE SOMEONE UP THE WALL
=To make someone crazy, If something drives you crazy, it irritates or frustrates you. And It has similar
idioms *drive someone crazy, *drive someone around the bend, *drive someone
nuts/bonkers/banans, * the writing is on the wall, *beat one’s head against the wall, *be banging one’s head
againt the wall, and Bahasa says membuat seseorang stress/ gila, atau membuat orang kesal/ jengkel.
Example:
Doesn’t it drive you up the wall when someone asks you a question and then doesn’t listen to your answer?
Bukankan itu menjengkelkan ketika seseorang menanyaimu lalu dia tidak mendengarkan jawabanmu?

16. • DROPPING LIKE FLIES
=A swift fall or decrease in large numbers due to an unexpected illness or from death. If dozens of
people suddenly find themselves bedridden because they caught a cold, or if groups of insects are being
killed by a bug exterminator, the rapid decrease in numbers can be describe by this common idiom. In
Bahasa we say mati massal/ banyak yang mati/ banyak korban jiwa dalam waktu yang singkat.
Example:
The ants marching around Ray’s house were dropping like flies
once he pulled out a can of bug repellent and started spraying
them.
Barisan semut di sekitar rumah Ray banyak yang mati dalam
sekejap ketika dia mengambil kaleng pembasmi serangga dan
menyemprotkannya.

17. • DON’T PUT ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET
= don’t put too much importance on just one thing
because if that fails you have nothing. In Bahasa we
say jangan campur aduk permasalahan/ tidak
membagi permasalahan. Atau jangan menjadikan
satu hal-hal yang penting.
Example:
He invested all his money in one company and when
that company went bankrupt he lost everything. He
shouldn’t have put all his eggs in one basket.
Dia meninvestasikan seluruh uangnya pada satu perusahaan dan ketika perusahaan itu bangkrut dia kehilangan
segalanya. Dia seharusnya tidak menginvestasikan semua uangnya di satu perushaan.

18. • DOG EAT DOG
= This expression refers to intense competition and rivalry in pursuit of one’s own interest, with no
concern for morality. A cruel and aggressive world, where people only look out for themselves. In
Bahasa, we say teman makan teman/ jeruk makan jeruk.
Example:
The business world is tough today. There is a general dog-eat-dog attitude.
Dunia bisnis saat ini keras. Ada sikap biasa/ umum yang disebut dengan
teman makan teman.
• DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD
= If the effect of an action is more damaging than helpful, and Bahasa says Dampak buruk/ berakibat.
Example:
Giving him money did more harm than good –He spent it on alcohol.
Memberinya banyak uang memberikan berdampak buruk –Dia menghabiskannya untuk Alkohol.

19. • EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING
= There is something good in every unpleasant or difficult situation; there is always a reason to hope, even in the worst
situation. People often use it to try and cheer up someone who is having a difficult time. In Bahasa we say Habis gelap
terbitlah terang atau Berakit-rakit ke hulu_bereneng-renang ke tepian; bersakit-sakit dahulu_bersenang-senang kemudian.
Example:
I lost my job last week, but every cloud has a silver lining and now I have time to visit my family in Australia.
Aku kehilangan pekerjaanku minggu lalu, tapi habis gelap terbitlah terang dan sakarang aku memiliki waktu
untuk mengunjungi keluargaku di Australia.

20. • UP TO THE MINUTE
= the most recent information. And Bahasa says Info/ berita paling update atau terbaru.
Example:
I wish I knew more about what is happening in the capital city. We need more up to the minute news.
Aku harap aku mengetahui apa yang terjadi di ibu kota. Kita membutuhkan berita-berita terbaru.
•
•
• TWENTY-FOUR/SEVEN ; 24/7
= every minute of every day, all the time. We call it in Bahasa
setiap waktu setiap saat.
Example:
You can access our website 24/7. It’s very convenient!
Kamu bisa mengakses website kami setiap saat. Itu sangat mudah!

21. • A HEART OF GOLD
= In English, if someone is very kind and helpful, we say they’ve got a heart of gold. We say it in Bahasa
berhati emas atau baik hati.
Example:
My sister is so kind and helpful. That’s right she’s got a heart of gold
Adikku sangat baik dan suka menolong. Itu benar bahwa dia
memiliki hati emas (baik hati)
• AS GOOD AS GOLD
= If someone –usually a child, or a pet, is very well-behaved, we say they are as good as gold. In Bahasa we
say sebaik / sebagus emas. Berperilaku sangat baik dan nurut/ mudah diatur.
Example:
My boss asked me to look after his dog while he went away on holiday. My boss says “my dog is as good as gold.”
Bosku memintaku untuk mengawasi anjingnya selama dia berlibur. Bosku berkata “anjingku baik dan nurut”

22. The Comparison between Indonesian
Idiom and English Idiom
Still many idioms that I cannot write them
down. But, may this slide useful for our
study in English especially English Idiom.
Thank you…
International Class Program of STAIN Salatiga,
Central Java, Indonesia