Culture shapes our everyday interactions, influencing our language and expressions. Understanding cultural idioms and phrasal verbs enriches communication and provides deeper insights into different societies. Here are 20 expressions related to culture, each with a brief meaning and example sentence to help you grasp their usage.
1. Break the Ice
Meaning: Initiate conversation
Example: He told a joke to break the ice.
2. When in Rome
Meaning: Follow local customs
Example: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
3. Cultural Shock
Meaning: Feeling disoriented by a new culture
Example: She experienced cultural shock in Japan.
4. Go Native
Meaning: Adopt local customs
Example: He decided to go native and learn the language.
5. Local Flavor
Meaning: Unique cultural elements
Example: The festival had a lot of local flavor.
6. Culture Vulture
Meaning: Enthusiast for arts and culture
Example: She’s a real culture vulture, visiting museums weekly.
7. Spice Things Up
Meaning: Make more interesting
Example: They spiced things up with cultural dances.
8. Blend In
Meaning: Merge with the surroundings
Example: He tried to blend in with the locals.
9. Boil Down To
Meaning: Simplify to essentials
Example: The issue boils down to cultural differences.
10. Lost in Translation
Meaning: Misunderstanding due to language
Example: The humor was lost in translation.
11. Beat Around the Bush
Meaning: Avoid the main topic
Example: Stop beating around the bush and answer.
12. Cross-Cultural
Meaning: Between different cultures
Example: Cross-cultural exchanges enhance understanding.
13. Steeped In Tradition
Meaning: Strongly influenced by tradition
Example: The town is steeped in tradition.
14. Out of Place
Meaning: Feel uncomfortable in surroundings
Example: He felt out of place at the cultural event.
15. Eye-Opener
Meaning: Revelation or surprise
Example: The documentary was an eye-opener about culture.
16. Embrace Change
Meaning: Accept and adapt
Example: They embraced change and learned new customs.
17. Get the Picture
Meaning: Understand the situation
Example: After the tour, he got the picture of the culture.
18. Hidden Gem
Meaning: Little-known but valuable
Example: The museum is a hidden gem of local culture.
19. Make Waves
Meaning: Cause a disturbance
Example: Her book made waves in the cultural community.
20. Old Habits Die Hard
Meaning: Hard to change routine
Example: Despite new culture, old habits die hard.
