뜻
Making things harder than they are.
문화적 배경
The idiom reflects the 'Janteloven' adjacent idea that one shouldn't try to be 'extra' or 'fancy'. Being practical is a high virtue. In farming communities, water rights and access were vital. The idiom likely stems from actual observations of inefficient farmhands. Norway has a very high level of digitalization. The idiom is now frequently used to describe 'over-automation' or 'bloated software'. Teachers use this to guide students toward the 'shortest path' in math and logic, reinforcing the value of efficiency from a young age.
Use it for self-deprecation
It's a very charming way to admit you made a mistake. 'Beklager, jeg gikk visst over bekken etter vann her!'
Don't change the words
If you say 'gå over elva' or 'gå over vannet', people will think you are talking about a literal miracle or a hiking trip.
뜻
Making things harder than they are.
Use it for self-deprecation
It's a very charming way to admit you made a mistake. 'Beklager, jeg gikk visst over bekken etter vann her!'
Don't change the words
If you say 'gå over elva' or 'gå over vannet', people will think you are talking about a literal miracle or a hiking trip.
The 'Etter' trick
Remember that 'etter' here means 'to get'. It's the same 'etter' as in 'Hva leter du etter?' (What are you looking for?).
셀프 테스트
Fill in the missing words to complete the idiom.
Hvorfor skal du kjøpe ny telefon når den gamle virker? Du går over ______ etter ______.
The standard idiom uses 'bekken' (the stream) and 'vann' (water).
Which situation best fits the idiom?
Lise wants to bake a cake. She has flour at home, but she drives to a store 20km away to buy the exact same brand of flour.
Lise is choosing a complicated way to get something she already has nearby.
Complete the dialogue naturally.
A: Jeg skal gå til Oslo for å kjøpe en avis. B: Men de selger jo avisen på kiosken her borte! __________________.
Going to Oslo for something available at the local kiosk is a classic example of this idiom.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly in a professional context?
Identify the correct usage:
This correctly identifies the redundancy and inefficiency of looking outside for something available inside.
🎉 점수: /4
시각 학습 자료
연습 문제 은행
4 연습 문제Hvorfor skal du kjøpe ny telefon når den gamle virker? Du går over ______ etter ______.
The standard idiom uses 'bekken' (the stream) and 'vann' (water).
Lise wants to bake a cake. She has flour at home, but she drives to a store 20km away to buy the exact same brand of flour.
Lise is choosing a complicated way to get something she already has nearby.
A: Jeg skal gå til Oslo for å kjøpe en avis. B: Men de selger jo avisen på kiosken her borte! __________________.
Going to Oslo for something available at the local kiosk is a classic example of this idiom.
Identify the correct usage:
This correctly identifies the redundancy and inefficiency of looking outside for something available inside.
🎉 점수: /4
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문Not usually. It's more of a logical critique. However, like any criticism, tone matters.
Yes, it's perfectly acceptable in a professional context to describe an inefficient process.
Idioms usually use the definite form ('the stream') because they refer to a specific, well-known metaphorical image.
Yes, people often just say 'Det er å gå over bekken...'
Close, but not exactly. Reinventing the wheel is about making something new that already exists. This is about going far away for something that is right here.
Yes, you can say 'Han er en person som alltid går over bekken etter vann.'
There isn't a direct idiomatic opposite, but 'å ta korteste vei' (to take the shortest path) is the literal opposite.
Yes, it is a national idiom known from Oslo to Tromsø.
No, if you are running a long way for exercise, that's not 'going over the stream for water' because the effort is the goal.
Metaphorically, no. You can use it for buying bread, writing code, or dating.
관련 표현
Å finne opp kruttet på nytt
similarTo reinvent the wheel.
Å skyte spurv med kanoner
similarTo use excessive force for a small problem.
Å gjøre en fjær til fem høns
contrastTo make a mountain out of a molehill (exaggerate).
Korteste vei er ofte en omvei
contrastThe shortest way is often a detour.
