Greeks have a lot of wacky and wonderful sayings and proverbs. To truly understand them all you would need to live in the land of the sun. Each Friday we’ll try to analyze some. If you’re interested in a proverb you’d like to have explained just leave a comment and we’ll include it in next Friday’s installment.

Αυτά μου φαίνονται κινέζικα.

Literal translation: This strikes me as Chinese.

Meaning: Naturally, the Greeks can’t say that something is all Greek to them because they understand Greek so they say it’s Chinese.

How it can be used: You are handed a document that you don’t understand because it’s full of legal jargon. You can give it back to the person who handed it to you and explain, “Sorry, I don’t get it. Αυτά μου φαίνονται κινέζικα!”

Similar English saying: It’s all Greek to me! or It’s gobbledygook.

Tον αράπη κι αν τον πλένεις το σαπούνι σου χαλάς

Literal translation: It’s a waste of soap if you wash the Arab

Meaning: The proverb suggests that you can’t change somebody’s nature no matter how much you try. It expresses the futility of changing the mentality of someone headstrong but though it is pejorative, it doesn’t have racist connotations. In Greek the word arapis means somebody of Arabian descent.

How it can be used: An ultranationalist politician joins the socialist party. Even though he has joined the leftist ranks doesn’t mean he has that mentality, because τον αράπη κι αν τον πλένεις το σαπούνι σου χαλάς

Similar English saying: A leopard can’t change its spots.