This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. Persian (Farsi) to English
  3. Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

پته كسي را روي آب انداختن

English translation: to spill the beans, to air someone's dirty laundry

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Persian (Farsi) term or phrase:پته كسي را روي آب انداختن
English translation:to spill the beans, to air someone's dirty laundry
Entered by: SeiTT

13:15 Aug 31, 2010
Persian (Farsi) to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Persian (Farsi) term or phrase: پته كسي را روي آب انداختن
Greetings,

Please see:
http://english-88.blogfa.com/post-167.aspx

I realize that it gives a translation, it's just that I wanted to check the meaning for certain.

Please could you also let me know what پته means? Do you use it in the modern language in general, or only in this expression?

All the best, and many thanks,

Simon
SeiTT
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:15
to spill the bean
Explanation:
In the past, there was any tap water at homes and people supplied their needed water by some channel passing through streets and allies. they brought the needed amount of water to their home by putting a small dam in the channel for a certain time according to a timetable which was approved by all people.taht small dam is called "pateh". During drought some cheaters put their "pateh" in the channel to get a more amount of water out of their turn and secretly often in the night and change the direction of water. In the middle of night a few people realized somebody is cheattinf, unless the water pressure can sometimes lead to removing the"pateh" from their place and being seen that "pateh".When people saw that "Pateh" elsewhere realized some body cheated and finally te secret would reveal.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2010-08-31 16:00:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It's used rarely but you can find it in some dialect.
Selected response from:

Mojtaba Danesh
Iran
Local time: 19:45
Grading comment
many thanks excellent
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +3to spill the bean
Mojtaba Danesh
5 +2to show someone up, to let the cat out of the bag
Reza Ebrahimi
5 +2to call sb's bluff
Reza Rostamzadeh Khosroshahi
5 +1to crack one's secret
Ebrahim Golavar
5to blow someone's cover
Behnam Paran


  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
to crack one's secret


Explanation:
.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2010-08-31 13:20:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

yes we use it in modern language and it means راز here

Ebrahim Golavar
Native speaker of: Persian (Farsi)
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ryan Emami
3 hrs
  -> thanks a lot
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
to show someone up, to let the cat out of the bag


Explanation:


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 mins (2010-08-31 13:22:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

پته means permit, token.

Reza Ebrahimi
United States
Local time: 09:15
Native speaker of: Native in Persian (Farsi)Persian (Farsi)
PRO pts in category: 31

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Komeil Zamani Babgohari
2 hrs
  -> Thanks!
agree  Ryan Emami
3 hrs
  -> Thanks!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
to spill the bean


Explanation:
In the past, there was any tap water at homes and people supplied their needed water by some channel passing through streets and allies. they brought the needed amount of water to their home by putting a small dam in the channel for a certain time according to a timetable which was approved by all people.taht small dam is called "pateh". During drought some cheaters put their "pateh" in the channel to get a more amount of water out of their turn and secretly often in the night and change the direction of water. In the middle of night a few people realized somebody is cheattinf, unless the water pressure can sometimes lead to removing the"pateh" from their place and being seen that "pateh".When people saw that "Pateh" elsewhere realized some body cheated and finally te secret would reveal.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2010-08-31 16:00:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It's used rarely but you can find it in some dialect.


    Reference: http://www.tannazi.blogsky.com/1389/05/10/post-76/
Mojtaba Danesh
Iran
Local time: 19:45
Native speaker of: Native in Persian (Farsi)Persian (Farsi)
PRO pts in category: 11
Grading comment
many thanks excellent

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Armineh Johannes: armineh johannes
29 mins
  -> Thanks a lot!
agree  Ryan Emami: nice story!
44 mins
  -> Thanks a lot!
agree  Alireza Amini
5 hrs
  -> Thanks a lot
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
to call sb's bluff


Explanation:
.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2010-08-31 14:42:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Dear Simon, you asked once this question from English into Persian. Here is the link:
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/english_to_farsi_persian/internet_...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2010-08-31 16:29:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

پته نوعی از رودوزی‌های کرمان است. پارچه زمینه پته پارچه‌ای ضخیم و پشمی است که عریض نامیده می‌شود. هنرمندان پته دوز که اکثرا نیز از زنان و دختران خانه دار هستند باکمک سوزن نقوشی ذهنی را که ملهم از پندارها و بینشهای شخصی شان است، بوسیلهٔ بخیه‌های نخی رنگین بر زمینه ی‌پارچهٔ پشمی ضخیمی(عریض) مینشانند.
http://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/پته

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2010-08-31 16:43:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

We have three definitions for "pate" in Persian:
جواز خروج از كشور
جواز يا اجازه ي خروج كالا يا حيوان از كشور
بندي چوبي كه بر سر راه اب قرار مي گيرد
Mojtaba Danesh has explained the story behind the third definition.
http://rcirib.ir/farhang_mardom/pdf/5_6/5_6_318.pdf

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs (2010-08-31 16:56:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Here, "پته" means "secret" figuratively. "`پته ي كسي را روي اب ريختن" means "راز كسي را برملا كردن".

Reza Rostamzadeh Khosroshahi
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in Persian (Farsi)Persian (Farsi)

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ryan Emami
2 hrs
  -> thanks Hossein!
agree  Alireza Amini
7 hrs
  -> thanks a lot!
neutral  Behnam Paran: If you call sb's bluff, you invite them to do what they have been threatening to do; it doesn't always mean "پته كسي را روي آب انداختن" which has a more general sense and which can be achieved in different ways, even without saying a word sometimes.
19 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

19 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
to blow someone's cover


Explanation:
پته = permit
Literal meaning: to give/throw sb's permit to the water
Actual meaning: to make sb's secrets/intentions/lies/etc known

Examples:
1- One mistake could blow your cover.
.یک اشتباه می تواند پته تو را روی آب دهد

2- With a false passport, I can enter Bali, if nobody blows my cover.
.با یک گذرنامه جعلی می توانم وارد بالی شوم، البته اگر کسی پته مرا روی آب ندهد


Behnam Paran
Local time: 19:45
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in Persian (Farsi)Persian (Farsi)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search