뜻
To make someone work extremely hard, pushing them to their limits.
문화적 배경
The 'Kolhu' (oil press) was once the center of village economy. The phrase reflects the harsh reality of manual and animal labor in these settings. In cities like Bangalore or Gurgaon, this idiom is a badge of 'hustle.' It's used to bond over the shared experience of long hours and high pressure. Movies often use this phrase to depict the struggle of the common man against corrupt systems or demanding bosses. Parents often use this to describe the effort of raising children, though usually in a half-joking, affectionate way.
Use the Passive Form
If you want to sound more natural when complaining about yourself, use 'Mera tel nikal gaya' instead of 'Kaam ne mera tel nikal diya'.
Watch the Formality
Never use this in a formal presentation or a letter to a high-ranking official. It's strictly for casual conversation.
뜻
To make someone work extremely hard, pushing them to their limits.
Use the Passive Form
If you want to sound more natural when complaining about yourself, use 'Mera tel nikal gaya' instead of 'Kaam ne mera tel nikal diya'.
Watch the Formality
Never use this in a formal presentation or a letter to a high-ranking official. It's strictly for casual conversation.
The 'Dukh' Bond
Using this phrase with colleagues is a great way to build rapport. Complaining together is a common social bonding activity in India.
셀프 테스트
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the idiom.
मैनेजर ने काम करा-कराकर मेरा _______ दिया।
'Tel nikal diya' is the correct past tense form of the idiom meaning to overwork someone.
Match the situation to the most appropriate use of the idiom.
Situation: You have been studying for 12 hours straight for your C1 Hindi exam.
Use the intransitive 'nikal gaya' to describe your own state of exhaustion.
Complete the dialogue.
A: जिम कैसा रहा? B: बहुत मुश्किल था, ट्रेनर ने तो _______।
The trainer is the one doing the 'extracting' of the oil (energy).
Which sentence uses the idiom in a figurative sense?
Identify the figurative usage:
The office work isn't literally producing oil; it's exhausting the person.
🎉 점수: /4
시각 학습 자료
Tel Nikalna vs. Tel Lagana
연습 문제 은행
4 연습 문제मैनेजर ने काम करा-कराकर मेरा _______ दिया।
'Tel nikal diya' is the correct past tense form of the idiom meaning to overwork someone.
Situation: You have been studying for 12 hours straight for your C1 Hindi exam.
Use the intransitive 'nikal gaya' to describe your own state of exhaustion.
A: जिम कैसा रहा? B: बहुत मुश्किल था, ट्रेनर ने तो _______।
The trainer is the one doing the 'extracting' of the oil (energy).
Identify the figurative usage:
The office work isn't literally producing oil; it's exhausting the person.
🎉 점수: /4
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문It's not exactly rude, but it is very informal. It's a colorful way to complain. Don't use it to your boss's face unless you have a very friendly relationship.
Yes! It's very common to say this after a tough gym session or a long run.
'Kachoomar nikalna' is more intense and can imply a total crushing or even physical beating. 'Tel nikalna' is specifically about exhaustion from labor.
Yes, that is the literal meaning, but in 99% of conversations, it's used as an idiom for hard work.
No, if you say 'car ka tel nikalna', people will think you are literally changing the engine oil.
Yes, you can say 'बहुत थक जाना' (to be very tired) or 'कठिन परिश्रम करना' (to do hard work).
Yes, it is widely understood across the Hindi-speaking belt and has equivalents in many other Indian languages.
Absolutely. It's used for both physical and mental exhaustion.
There isn't a direct idiomatic opposite, but 'मौज करना' (to have fun/relax) or 'आराम फरमाना' (to relax) are opposite states.
It's an idiom, not quite slang, but it's very close to the casual register of slang.
관련 표현
कोल्हू का बैल
similarSomeone who works very hard but in a repetitive, mindless way.
पसीना बहाना
similarTo work hard (literally: to shed sweat).
तेल लगाना
contrastTo flatter someone.
कचूमर निकालना
synonymTo crush or beat someone thoroughly.
दम तोड़ना
builds onTo die or to give up.
