뜻
Failing to get what you wanted.
문화적 배경
In Turkey, it is culturally frowned upon to visit someone's home 'eli boş' (empty-handed). Even a small box of chocolate or 'baklava' is expected. This is the 'gitmek' version of the phrase. In many Turkish folk tales, the hero goes on a quest for a 'magic apple' or 'water of life.' If he returns 'eli boş,' it usually marks the low point of the story before a second attempt. In Turkish business culture, face-to-face meetings are highly valued. If a salesperson returns from a meeting 'eli boş,' it's often seen as a lack of 'ikna kabiliyeti' (persuasion skill). During the 'kız isteme' ceremony, if the father of the bride does not give his blessing, the groom's family is said to return 'eli boş.' This is a heavy social disappointment.
Match the Suffix
Always try to match the possessive suffix to the person. 'Elim boş döndüm' sounds 10x more native than 'Eli boş döndüm' when talking about yourself.
Don't use for theft
Remember that 'eli uzun' means thief. Don't mix them up or you might accidentally insult someone!
뜻
Failing to get what you wanted.
Match the Suffix
Always try to match the possessive suffix to the person. 'Elim boş döndüm' sounds 10x more native than 'Eli boş döndüm' when talking about yourself.
Don't use for theft
Remember that 'eli uzun' means thief. Don't mix them up or you might accidentally insult someone!
The 'Kısmet' connection
If someone tells you they returned empty-handed, say 'Kısmet değilmiş' (It wasn't destiny) to sound very empathetic and Turkish.
셀프 테스트
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the idiom (pay attention to the subject).
Ben pazara gittim ama taze meyve bulamadım, eve _______ _______ _______.
The subject is 'Ben' (I), so 'el' becomes 'elim' and 'dönmek' becomes 'döndüm'.
Which situation is appropriate for 'eli boş dönmek'?
Hangi durumda 'eli boş dönmek' deyimi kullanılır?
'Eli boş dönmek' is specifically about failing to obtain something you went to get.
Match the subjects with the correct idiom form.
Eşleştirme yapın:
Each subject requires a matching possessive suffix and verb ending.
Complete the dialogue.
- Bankaya kredi için gittin mi? - Evet, gittim ama maalesef _______.
'Elim boş döndüm' is the most natural and grammatically correct response for 'I'.
🎉 점수: /4
시각 학습 자료
연습 문제 은행
4 연습 문제Ben pazara gittim ama taze meyve bulamadım, eve _______ _______ _______.
The subject is 'Ben' (I), so 'el' becomes 'elim' and 'dönmek' becomes 'döndüm'.
Hangi durumda 'eli boş dönmek' deyimi kullanılır?
'Eli boş dönmek' is specifically about failing to obtain something you went to get.
왼쪽의 각 항목을 오른쪽의 짝과 연결하세요:
Each subject requires a matching possessive suffix and verb ending.
- Bankaya kredi için gittin mi? - Evet, gittim ama maalesef _______.
'Elim boş döndüm' is the most natural and grammatically correct response for 'I'.
🎉 점수: /4
자주 묻는 질문
5 질문Yes, it's very common in sports. 'Takım sahadan eli boş döndü' means they lost and got zero points.
Both are okay, but 'eli boş' (singular hand) is the standard idiom. 'Elleri boş' sounds more literal.
Not at all. It's a neutral, polite idiom suitable for all contexts.
Then you didn't return 'empty-handed,' but you might say 'aradığımı bulamadım' (I didn't find what I was looking for).
Yes! If you tried to download a file and it failed, you can figuratively say you 'returned empty-handed' from the site.
관련 표현
avuçlarını yalamak
synonymTo get nothing (slang).
eli boş gitmek
similarTo go somewhere without a gift.
eli boş çıkmak
similarTo leave a place empty-handed.
burnu sürtülmek
contrastTo be humbled by failure.
