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Hardly any animal appears as often in the German language as the donkey. Sometimes it stands for patience and hard work, sometimes for stubbornness or stupidity. Here are 15 well-known idioms and proverbs featuring donkeys, their meanings – and what real donkeys would say about them.
The 15 most well-known idioms with donkeys
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Mnemonic | Memory aid for difficult content |
| Donkey ear | bent beechwood ear spoon |
| Pack donkey | someone who has to carry a lot – literally or figuratively |
| Golden donkey | seemingly inexhaustible source of money, known from the fairy tale "Little Table, Cover Yourself" |
| The donkey always names himself first | Note that out of politeness you name others before yourself |
| When the donkey gets too comfortable, he goes onto the ice | Whoever becomes overconfident takes unnecessary risks |
| You beat the sack, you mean the donkey | You criticize indirectly, but actually mean someone else |
| One donkey calls the other Long-ears | Someone accuses others of what applies to themselves |
| From the horse to the donkey | to deteriorate, to decline socially |
| Stubborn as a donkey | unreasonable, unwilling to change one's mind |
| Donkey work | laborious, monotonous work |
| Donkey (as an insult) | Idiot – completely undeservedly |
| Donkey bench | formerly a punishment bench in school |
| Donkey hat | historical school punishment with a pointed paper hat and donkey ears |
| Like the ox before the mountain – and the donkey? | To be at a loss. The donkey would probably just stand still and think. |
Why the donkey has to bear the brunt so often
Donkeys were everyday companions for thousands of years: They carried loads, pulled carts, worked in mills and in fields. What is so commonplace quickly ends up in language. Many idioms reflect the view of people who were in a hurry – while the donkey stood still because something didn't feel right to him.
What really makes real donkeys unique
- Cautious instead of stubborn: Donkeys check out the unknown before they enter it. More in Are donkeys stubborn?
- Capable of learning instead of stupid: Donkeys have a good memory and learn quickly. More in How smart are donkeys?
- Social: Donkeys form close bonds. More in Why donkeys need company.
- Resilient – with limits: The pack donkey carries a lot, but not without limit. More in Hiking with a donkey.
The true "golden donkey"
In the fairy tale, the golden donkey spits out ducats. In real life, it is rather the other way around: What a donkey gives is rare and precious. A donkey gives only milk as long as she has a foal. The foal drinks first, is milked by hand and only in small quantities. That is why donkey milk has been considered a rarity since antiquity – according to tradition, Cleopatra already bathed in donkey milk. More on this in Donkey milk as "white gold".
The real treasure of the donkey
Fresh donkey milk and freeze-dried powder in the introductory set: With the Mini Duo you will find out which form suits your everyday life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does "The donkey always names himself first" come from?
The saying reminds of an old rule of politeness: In lists you name others first and yourself last – so "Anna and I" instead of "I and Anna".
What does "When the donkey gets too comfortable, he goes onto the ice" mean?
Whoever gets too comfortable becomes reckless and brings trouble upon themselves.
Where does the golden donkey come from?
From the fairy tale "Little Table, Cover Yourself, Golden Donkey and Out with the Stick" by the Brothers Grimm.
Are donkeys really stupid?
No. Donkeys are considered attentive, capable of learning and cautious. The prejudice says more about impatient people than about donkeys.
More about the origin of two classics can be found in Mnemonic and Donkey ear.
