मतलब
Working very hard without any result.
सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि
In villages, the 'Dhoba' (washerman) and his donkey are iconic. The donkey carries massive bundles of clothes to the river. This image is the primary source of the idiom. The phrase is now a staple in 'office speak' to describe 'busy work'—tasks given by managers just to keep employees occupied without any real output. Bengali parents often use this to warn children against 'rote memorization' without understanding, calling it donkey work compared to 'smart' studying. There is a saying that a donkey carries sandalwood but only knows its weight, not its fragrance. This idiom reflects that lack of 'appreciation' for the work done.
Use it for self-deprecation
It's a great way to make people laugh when you've made a silly mistake that cost you time.
Don't call others 'Gadha'
While the idiom is fine, calling a person a 'Gadha' directly is a common insult meaning 'idiot'.
मतलब
Working very hard without any result.
Use it for self-deprecation
It's a great way to make people laugh when you've made a silly mistake that cost you time.
Don't call others 'Gadha'
While the idiom is fine, calling a person a 'Gadha' directly is a common insult meaning 'idiot'.
खुद को परखो
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the idiom.
পরিকল্পনা ছাড়া কাজ করা মানেই ______।
Working without a plan is the definition of 'donkey work' (fruitless labor).
Which situation best describes 'গাধার খাটুনি'?
Which of these is 'গাধার খাটুনি'?
The effort was high, but the result was zero because the exam didn't happen.
Match the Bengali phrase with its English equivalent.
Match the following:
These are the standard translations for these types of labor in Bengali.
Complete the dialogue.
রিনা: আমি সব রান্না করলাম, কিন্তু এখন শুনছি কেউ ডিনার করবে না। মিনা: ______।
Mina is empathizing with Rina's wasted effort.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स
अभ्यास बैंक
4 अभ्यासপরিকল্পনা ছাড়া কাজ করা মানেই ______।
Working without a plan is the definition of 'donkey work' (fruitless labor).
Which of these is 'গাধার খাটুনি'?
The effort was high, but the result was zero because the exam didn't happen.
बाईं ओर के प्रत्येक आइटम को दाईं ओर के उसके जोड़े से मिलाएं:
These are the standard translations for these types of labor in Bengali.
রিনা: আমি সব রান্না করলাম, কিন্তু এখন শুনছি কেউ ডিনার করবে না। মিনা: ______।
Mina is empathizing with Rina's wasted effort.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
4 सवालNot usually, as it describes the *work* rather than the person. However, use it cautiously with superiors.
Yes, if the exercise is done incorrectly and yields no results.
'Pondoshrom' is formal/literary, 'Gadhar Khatuni' is colloquial and more descriptive.
Not necessarily. It can also mean the work was good, but the *circumstances* (like a boss canceling it) made it useless.
संबंधित मुहावरे
পণ্ডশ্রম
synonymWasted labor.
হাড়ভাঙা খাটুনি
contrastExtremely hard work.
ঘানি টানা
similarTo toil like an ox at a mill.
তেলহীন চাকা ঘোরানো
similarTurning a wheel without oil.
