jarlı üynü kiştigi kibik
/dʒarlɯ yjny kiʃtiɡi kibik/
Literal translation
like the cat of a poor house
Intended meaning
Said of a person who is destitute and luckless, a pitiful sight.
- Ne eteyik, turabız ma bılay, körgeniŋça, jarlı üynü kiştigiça, qısılıb, eski üy da bek, biz da bek dep.What are we to do — we live just like this, as you see, huddled up like the cat of a poor house, telling ourselves the old house holds firm and so do we.
Variants
- jarlı üynü kiştiginley
Sources
Show sources
- Къарачай-малкъар тилни фразеология ангылатма сёзлюгю (2017), p. 186