We’ve all grown up hearing idioms, whether in English, Gujarati, or any other language. They’re those punchy little phrases that pack a lot of meaning into just a few words. Like when someone says, “Don’t beat around the bush”—you instantly get the point without a long explanation. (See what I did there?)
Gujarati idioms, or kehvat (કેહવત), are just as rich and expressive. They’re rooted in culture, often carry a moral, and can be surprisingly funny or wise. If you’re curious about Gujarati kehvats and want to explore some of the best ones, you’re in the right place.
Why Learn Gujarati Idioms?
Growing up, you must’ve heard your parents and grandparents use some strange sentences and you would find them funny while not making any sense! That’s age old wit, wisdom, and humour together bound as a kehvat or an idiom.
Learning Gujarati idioms means more than just expanding your Gujarati vocabulary. It’s learning how our ancestors thought, felt, and navigated through life. Be it giving a witty response, cracking a joke, or giving out a life lesson, they would always add flair to their language usage.
For those of us who’ve moved away from using our mother tongue or lost touch with it, switched to using English for convenience, a Gujarati kehvat offers a great point to restart your language learning journey, after a short drift away.
Just imagine you’ve learned some fun idioms and you just casually throw a Oont na moh maa jiru (ઊંટના મોંમા જીરું – “Too little to satisfy something big”) and flaunt your linguistic skills.
By the way, if you want to learn Gujarati on your own here is our list of best Gujarati language resources!
Gujarati Idioms: Important Life Lessons Wrapped In Wit
Imagine it’s a lazy Sunday afternoon and you’re visiting your ancestral home in an old city in Gujarat with your granny. It’s a hot day, she’s fanning herself with her saree while also reciting hilarious family anecdotes, talking about someone’s son or daughter, and there comes a point where she unleashes the kehvat prowess and says, “Oont na moh maa jiru” (ઊંટના મોંમા જીરું).
You stare at her with blank eyes, and she gives you a light smirk, knowing too well that you’ve missed the whole point and trying to understand whatever she just said. She sits you down and makes you grab a book and a pen to actually teach you some fun idioms. Let’s see what granny is teaching us here.
10 Simple Gujarati Idioms To Connect With Your Roots
Are you ready? Let’s go!
1. Oont Na Moh Maa Jiru (ઊંટના મોંમા જીરું)
Which means “too little to satisfy something too big.” Literally, it means, “a cumin seed in a camel’s mouth.” Gujaratis use a lot of cumin in their cooking, and this is a humorous way of saying how small things disappear when the need is massive.
2. Kaai Nahi To Kansaanu Kanthu (કાંઈ નહીં તો કાંસાંનું કંઠું)
This idiom figuratively means, “Something is better than nothing”, while the literal meaning is, “If nothing else, then at least a brass necklace suffices.” Culturally, Gujaratis believe in being resourceful. So, even if you can’t afford gold, brass will do—it’s the gesture that matters.
3. Jemanu Kaam Chhe Tem Ja Jaane (જેમનું કામ છે તેમ જ જાણે)
It literally means, “Only the person doing the task truly knows”, whereas the nuanced meaning is, “Don’t judge someone without knowing their effort.” Gujaratis and their respect for hard work is immense!
4. Adhi Akshar Premnaa, Vaanche E Pundit Thaay (અઢી અક્ષર પ્રેમના, વાંચે એ પંડિત થાય).
The fourth idiom speaks of love through spirituality and shows how emotional intelligence is above bookish knowledge. It literally means, one who understands the two-and-a-half letters of ‘love’ (or prem in Gujarati) becomes a scholar. The nuanced meaning is that love is the highest wisdom.
5. Kaan Khaavun Kaan Haanko (કાં ખાવું કાં હાંકો)
We’re already at the fifth idiom. This idiom literally means, “Either eat or herd cattle.” The real meaning behind this is deeply rooted in the rural setting, where they stress doing one thing at a time and not rushing to do too many things at once. It loosely translates to, “You can’t ride two horses at the same time”.
6. Gharno Bhedi Lanka Dahole (ઘરનો ભેદી લંકા ડહોળે)
Idiom number six is in reference to the epic Ramayana, where Lanka was destroyed by an insider (Ravana, the evil King’s younger brother). Hence, the idiom means that betrayal from within is most dangerous.
7. Haath Dhoi Ne Paachhad Padvo (હાથ ધોઈને પાછળ પડવો)
The seventh idiom means to pursue something with serious intention, relentlessly. But remember that no is literally “coming after you after washing hands!” in its literal sense.
8. E Na Ghee Par Pakaru Naakhvu (એના ઘી પર પકડું નાંખવું)
The eighth idiom literally means throwing ashes over someone’s butter (or ghee in this case). But the deeper meaning is ruining someone’s happiness or success over jealousy. The cultural context is: Ghee (clarified butter) symbolizes richness and joy in Gujarati homes. Ruining it hints at envy and pettiness.
9. Naach Na Aavde Aanganu Tedhu (નાચ ન આવડે આંગણું ટેંઢું)
We’ve reached the ninth Gujarati idiom or kehvat. Can’t dance? Blame the courtyard. Yes, that’s what it literally means. The nuanced meaning is, “Blaming everything or everyone else for your own shortcomings.”
10. Saavaj Nathi To Saalo Chaale (સાવજ નહીં તો સાળો ચાલે)
The last idiom’s literal meaning is, “If a lion isn’t available, a jackal will do.” The deeper meaning is, “settle for what you get.”
List Of Gujarati Idioms We Discussed
| English | Gujarati | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| Too little to satisfy something too big | ઊંટના મોંમા જીરું | Oont na moh maa jiru |
| Something is better than nothing | કાંઈ નહીં તો કાંસાંનું કંઠું | Kaai nathi to kansaanu kanthu |
| Only the person doing the task truly knows | જેમનું કામ છે તેમ જ જાણે | Jem-nu kaam chhe te-maj jaa-ne |
| Love is the highest wisdom | અઢી અક્ષર પ્રેમના, વાંચે એ પંડિત થાય | Adhi akshar prem-naa, vaan-che e pundit thaa-y |
| You can’t ride two horses at the same time | કાં ખાવું કાં હાંકો | Kaan khaavun kaan haan-ko |
| Betrayal from within is most dangerous. | ઘરનો ભેદી લંકા ડહોળે | Ghar-no bhedi Lanka da-ho-le |
| To pursue something with serious intention relentlessly | હાથ ધોઈને પાછળ પડવો | Haath dhoi-ne paachhad pad-vo |
| Ruining someone’s happiness or success over jealousy | એના ઘી પર પકડું નાંખવું | E-na ghee par pa-ka-ru naakh-vu |
| Making complains about your own shortcomings. | નાચ ન આવડે આંગણું ટેંઢું | Naach na aav-de aan-ga-nu ten-dhu |
| Settle for what you get. | સાવજ નહીં તો સાળો ચાલે | Saa-vaj nathi to saa-lo chaa-le |
This list was just the tip of the iceberg. Idioms have no ending. Gujarati idioms are a touch of spice, cherry on the top! Okay, I know I used a lot of idioms here. But you get the point!
How Do You Say Idiom In Gujarati?
In Gujarati, the word for “idiom” is Kehvat (કેહવત). Just like how in Hindi it is called a Kahavat (कहावत). Kehvat basically means “saying” or a phrase that has a hidden meaning, framed to be used in situations that perfectly describe them.
These Kehvat come from age old folk stories, age-old wisdom, and witty comebacks as one-liners. Kehvat are casually thrown into conversations to describe a particular situation, for example, if a dear one has betrayed you, you use the idiom: Ghar-no bhedi Lanka Da-ho-le (ઘરનો ભેદી લંકા ડહોળે), which means the traitor is an insider.
That’s the magic of a Kehvat or Gujarati idiom.
Tips To Master Gujarati Idioms
- Learn the right pronunciation – Take out some time to learn the right pronunciation to be confident to use them.
- Know the cultural nuances – It becomes much easier to use idioms when you know the cultural context behind it. You know exactly when to use which idiom.
- Associate idioms to real-life situations – That’s just how you’re going to get them right.
- Use idioms with family and friends – That’s the best way to master the idioms. You don’t have to memorize them, you just need to slip them in your conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gujarati Idioms
What Do You Mean By Idioms In Gujarati?
A Gujarati idiom is called Kehvat (કેહવત). They are phrases that describe a situation precisely in a few words and generally have a hidden meaning.
Is Gujarati A Sweet Language?
Yes, Gujarati is a very sweet language to speak in, and Gujaratis are the sweetest people with a warm and welcoming attitude.
How Do Gujaratis Wish Each Other?
Gujaratis have different ways of wishing each other. They either say "Namaste" or "Kem chho?" (કેમ છો?)
Wrapping Up Gujarati Idioms
Gujarati idioms are the essence of the Gujarati culture. They always take the conversations up a notch and make the bond stronger. These are not just words put together to form a phrase, but years of wisdom, folklore, established as culture in the language.
Master these and more idioms and connect with your family and friends on a deeper level.
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