This section contains idioms. These are phrases whose meaning is not literal and can't be guessed from the individual words.
biq fas hivjez
bIQ ngaS HIvje'
The cup contains water
This is used to mean "be quite mistaken, be totally wrong"
biqzazdak zohtah zexzez
bIQ'a'Daq 'oHtaH 'etlh'e'
the sword is in the ocean
This is expression based on a story about Kahless. After Kahless's brother, Morath, killed their father, Morath threw their father's sword into the ocean, saying that if he could not have the sword, no one could.
After that, the brothers never spoke again. The idiom {bIQ'a'Daq 'oHtaH 'etlh'e'} ("The sword is in the ocean"; {bIQ'a',} "ocean"; {'etlh,} "sword") is used to mean that something has ended, that it is impossible to return to a prior condition, just as Kahless and Morath never spoke to each other again. The expression might be used, for example, in reference to a treaty that was just signed, suggesting that a former state of antagonism has ended forever. Of course, simply saying that something will last forever does not make it so. If an alliance ends, the phrase is equally apt: the era of peace has ended, and the sword is in the ocean---there is no going back.
bozdaghom loz
bo'DaghHom lo'
use a little scoop
This is used to means to make less of something than it really is, minimize the importance of something, with the connotation that this is inappropriate.
bozdagzaz loz
bo'Dagh'a' lo'
use a big scoop
This means "to exaggerate".
{qaHarbe'. bo'Dagh'a' Dalo'.}
I don't believe you, you're exaggerating.
caz kabduz
cha' qabDu'
two faces
This means that two individuals are involved in some activity and no one else is; face-to-face;
{Suv cha' qabDu'.}
They are fighting one-on-one;
kabduz lawz
qabDu' law'
many faces
This may be used to refer to a group participating in a single activity. Thus, a brawl may be described by saying:
{Suv qabDu' law'};
("Many faces fight").
cazmah caz joqduz
cha'maH cha' joQDu'
twenty-two ribs
This is used to indicate that something is missing or not quite right {naDev cha'maH cha' joQDu' tu'lu'} There is something out of the ordinary going on here, even if no one can say exactly what.{cha'maH cha' joQDu' ghaj qama'} suggests that the prisoner is somehow a bit strange.
dok biqtik biq
Doq bIQtIq bIQ
the river water is red
{Doq bIQtIq.} ("The river is red.")
This expression, heard in both variants, means that something momentous has happened, perhaps a major victory. One might say {romuluS yo' wIjeyta'} ("We've defeated the Romulan fleet"; {yo',} "fleet"; {wIjeyta',} "We have succeeded in defeating it") and then add, to point out the significance of the occasion, {Doq bIQtIq bIQ} ("The river water is red"; {Doq,} "be red"; {bIQtIq,} "river"; {bIQ,} "water"). The phrase can be traced back to an old drinking song that commemorates the slaying of the tyrant Molor by Kahless. On that day, according to the song, the River Skral ran red; that is, it was filled with the blood of Molor.
The Klingon word {Doq} ("be red"), which occurs in the song as well as in the idiom, really means much more than "red." It refers to a rather wide spectrum of colors ranging from deep red to bright orange and includes pink. Nearly all Klingon bodily fluids, including blood, can be described as {Doq}.
dujmey lawz cijpuz
Dujmey law' chIjpu'
has navigated many ships
This is used to mean "be experienced":
{Dujmey law' DachIjpu'.}
You are experienced.
gah vuv sus neh
ghaH vuv SuS neH
want the wind to respect someone
This is used to mean "He/she is foolish:"
{Duvuv SuS DaneH'a'?}
Are you an idiot?
geztorvoz nargdiz kazpuz
ghe'torvo' narghDI' qa'pu'
when spirits escape from Gre'thor
To speak of spirits escaping from Gre'thor is to speak of an impossibility. The phrase usually follows the statement of what it is that supposedly cannot happen:
{jIjegh ghe'torvo' narghDI' qa'pu'.}
I will surrender when spirits escape from Gre'thor.
hazkuj fez
Ha'quj nge'
take away a sash
This is used to mean "wound one's pride:"
{Ha'qujlIj nge' ghaH.}
He wounds your pride.
This is the Klingon equivalent of "wound one's pride." The sash represents a Klingon's heritage. If the sash is removed, so is the Klingon's ancestral identity, and, along with it, his or her dignity and self-esteem. It is generally used with a possessive pronominal suffix attached to {Ha'quj} ("sash"): {Ha'qujwIj} ("my sash"), {Ha'qujlIj} ("your sash"), and so forth. Thus, the phrase {Ha'qujlIj nge'} (literally, "take away your sash") means "wound your pride."
hoc jagpuzdaj hohpuz
Hoch jaghpu'Daj HoHpu'
he/she has killed all his/her enemies
This is used to describe a person who is leading a meaningless, empty life, one lacking any challenge.
hoc nuh kel
Hoch nuH qel
consider every weapon
This is used to mean "Consider every possibility; Consider every option":
{Hoch nuH yIqel!?}
Consider every possibility!
{Hoch nuH Daqel'a'?}
Did you consider every option?
jej pac
jej pach
The claw is sharp.
This is used to mean "The food is pungent" - that is, good.
jejhaz pac
jejHa' pach
The claw is dull.
This is used to mean "The food is bland."
jop zej wayz
jop 'ej way'
lunge and deflect
This is used to mean "have an argument:"
{wIjoppu' 'ej wIway'pu'}
We have had an argument
lax hivjezdak ziw hik bir yikaf
latlh HIvje'Daq 'Iw HIq bIr yIqang
Pour the cold bloodwine into another glass!
This is used to mean "I don't believe you, maybe someone else will"; "That is irrelevant to me, maybe someone else will care."
mayz bom pim bom
may' bom pIm bom
sing a different battle song
This is used to speak of another matter entirely:
{DaH may' bom pIm Dabom.}
Well, that's another matter altogether.
miv je das
mIv je DaS
helmet and boot
This is used to mean "fully dressed" as for a ceremonial affair:
{mIv je DaS tuQ ra'wI'.}
The commander is in full dress uniform.
mivdak pog caz
mIvDaq pogh cha'
display a glove on one's helmet
This is used to convey the idea that a matter has been postponed or rescheduled; the phrase can be heard in a number of forms, depending on the parties to the commitment. For example, {mIvwIjDaq poghlIj vIcha'} implies that the postponed matter is between the speaker and the addressee.
nah jajmey
naH jajmey
vegetable days, childhood
refers to one's youth, a time before reaching an age considered appropriate for marriage;
{naH jajmeywIj betleH vIyanbe'}
In my vegetable days, I did not wield a bat'leth.
nox tonsawzlij
notlh tonSaw'lIj
your fighting technique is obsolete
This is used to mean your argument is invalid.
faq lojmit
ngaQ lojmIt
The door is locked
The situation has an unavoidable outcome.
The plan or commitment is firm and cannot be changed.
fem sargmey xaz
ngem Sarghmey tlha'
chase forest sarks
The phrase often in the form {ngem Sarghmey tlha'laH }is now used to indicate that one is capable of following anyone or anything - that is, that one is capable of understanding even the most complex of discussions or of solving the most intricate of problems.
pelzaqdaj gorpaz
pel'aQDaj ghorpa'
before it breaks its shell
This means "before it's too late" or "while there's still time"
{pel'aQDaj ghorpa' qama yIHoH.}
Kill the prisoner now, while you've got a chance.
petad , yitad
petaD / yItaD
Be frozen!
Don't move!
These are idiomatic ways to give the command "Don't move!" The word {yItaD} is used when speaking to an individual; {petaD} is used when giving the command to a group. The verb {taD} means "be frozen," and it is used here in a peculiar, though not really ungrammatical, way. Generally, when a verb describing a state of being (for example, {tuj} ["be hot"]) is used in the imperative form, the suffixes {-'egh} (reflexive suffix) and {-moH} ("cause") are used as well: {yItuj'eghmoH!} ("Heat yourself!"---that is, "Cause yourself to be hot!"), {yItaD'eghmoH!} ("Freeze yourself!"---that is, "Cause yourself to be frozen!"). When {taD} is used in the idiomatic sense of "not move," how- ever, it is treated as if a verb describing an activity, such as {yIt} ("walk"): {yIyIt!} ("Walk!").
pezvil bizcuz
pe'vIl bI'chu'
forcefully sweep away
do something at once, as a single event
{romuluSnganpu' Dujmey DIQaw'pu'; pe'vIl DIbI'chu'pu'}
We destroyed the Romulans' ships all at once.
pezvil ros
pe'vIl roS
use the third toe forcefully
conveys the idea that someone is particularly agile or nimble or spry.
pipyus yigor
pIpyuS yIghor
Break a pipius!
used as a command to tell someone, often a child, to get started on or to devote more effort to a project.
pollah pag polhazlah
pollaH pagh polHa'laH
can either keep it or discard it
The matter is unimportant; It does not make a difference:
{DapollaH pagh DapolHa'laH}.
pumdiz
pumDI'
when it falls
by that time, by the time that (something) occurred:?tagha' pawpu' meb 'ach pumDI' Heghpu' qagh.?The guest finally arrived, but by then the gagh had died.
kag hoh
qagh HoH
kill gagh
The phrase is applied to a person and means that he or she is doing something counterproductive:
{SuyDuj DaQaw'chugh qagh DaHoH.}
That is, destroying the merchant ship is contrary to the best interests of the current mission.
kan
qan
use the little finger
to point your pinkie at someone is to comment that you think they are old.
{qI'empeqDaq jIqan.}
I think that K'mpec is old.
kul dir yisop!
qul DIr yISop!
Eat the fire skin!
This is used to mean "Hurry up! Move quickly!"
kusdak baz
quSDaq ba'
sit in a chair
This is used to mean "that's obvious":
{quSDaq bIba'}.
What you said is quite obvious.
kutluc pax
qutluch patlh
kut'luch rank
This refers to "hierarchical structure."
rozlij hizaf
ro'lIj HI'ang
Show me your fist!
This is used to challenge someone to take action in a manner consistent with something he or she just said.
senwiz rilwiz je
SenwI' rIlwI' je
adult thumbs and children thumbs
This is used to mean "everybody"
sud veklarg minduz
SuD veqlargh mInDu'
Fek'lhr's eyes are green
This is used to mean that somebody is jealous!
tifvoz zevdak candak
tIngvo' 'evDaq chanDaq
from area-southwestward to area-northwestward to area eastward
This is used to mean "all around, all over the place;"
{tIngvo' 'evDaq chanDaq jIlengpu'.}
I've traveled all over the place.
tozwaq yiv
to'waQ yIv
chew ligament
This is used to mean take some time to consider a matter:
{to'waQ yIyIv.}
Take your time thinking about it!
{to'waQ vIyIvtaH.}
I'm in the process of taking my time considering the matter.
{to'waQ yIyIvQo'; DaH yIwuq.}
Don't chew ligament, decide now!
vaj duj cij
vaj Duj chIj
navigate a warrior ship
This is used to mean "have strength of character":
{vaj Duj DachIj}
You have strength of character.
vihtah go
vIHtaH gho
The hoop is moving
This is used to mean that an activity of finite (though perhaps indeterminate) length has started:
{bISop DaneH'a'? vIHtaH gho.}
If you want to eat, say so now before the food is gone.
caz dosmey dikip
cha' DoSmey DIqIp
we hit two targets
This is used to mean We disagree.
waz dos wikip
wa' DoS wIqIp
we hit one target
This is used to mean "We agree."
wazmah caz pemmey wazmah caz rammey je
wa'maH cha' pemmey wa'maH cha' rammey je
twelve days and twelve nights
This is used to talk about an event that not only takes a long time but is also is an important one, worthy of taking up so much time. This would be {poH nI'} in nonidiomatic speech that refers to just the time it takes.
zarlog qoyluzpuz
'arlogh Qoylu'pu'
How many times has someone heard it?
This is used to ask "What time is it?"
zoyzkuz qayzwizwij
'oy'qu' Qay'wI'wIj
My little toe aches a lot
This is used to mean "I'm extremely angry."
gicwij dabocmohcug, giclij kanob.
ghIchwIj DabochmoHchugh, ghIchlIj qanob.
If you shine my nose, I will give you your nose.
This is used to mean "Do not try to mislead me if you value your life".
ziwwij jed lawz ziwlij jed pus.
'IwwIj jeD law' 'IwlIj jeD puS.
My blood is thicker than yours.
This is used to mean "I am much stronger than you."