Meaning
Extremely cold.
Cultural Background
Never call someone's tea 'buz gibi' unless you want to complain. Tea must be served very hot. If it's 'buz gibi', it means it has been sitting out and is no longer good. Street vendors in hot cities like Adana or Antalya will shout 'Buz gibi!' to attract customers to their water or 'şalgam' carts. Being 'sıcakkanlı' (warm-blooded) is a virtue. Therefore, 'buz gibi' is often used to describe people from cultures that Turks perceive as less expressive or more distant. In Eastern Turkey, where temperatures drop to -30°C, 'buz gibi' is not just an idiom; it's a daily reality. People use it to describe the 'ayaz' (dry, biting cold).
Use for Emphasis
Don't just say 'soğuk'. Using 'buz gibi' makes you sound like you've lived in Turkey for years.
The Tea Rule
Remember: 'Buz gibi' is a compliment for water/beer/ayran, but an insult for tea/coffee/soup.
Meaning
Extremely cold.
Use for Emphasis
Don't just say 'soğuk'. Using 'buz gibi' makes you sound like you've lived in Turkey for years.
The Tea Rule
Remember: 'Buz gibi' is a compliment for water/beer/ayran, but an insult for tea/coffee/soup.
Social Distance
If you describe a person as 'buz gibi', it's a strong statement. Use it carefully in social circles.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank to say the weather is ice cold.
Bugün hava ______ ______.
'Buz gibi' is the standard idiom for extreme cold.
Which of the following is a compliment for a summer drink?
Bu ayran...
In summer, having a 'buz gibi' drink is the ideal.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Someone is acting very unfriendly towards you.
'Buz gibi davranmak' means to act coldly or unfriendlier.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Denize girecek misin? B: Hayır, su ______ ______.
If the water is too cold to enter, it is 'buz gibi'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Temperature Scale
Practice Bank
4 exercisesBugün hava ______ ______.
'Buz gibi' is the standard idiom for extreme cold.
Bu ayran...
In summer, having a 'buz gibi' drink is the ideal.
Someone is acting very unfriendly towards you.
'Buz gibi davranmak' means to act coldly or unfriendlier.
A: Denize girecek misin? B: Hayır, su ______ ______.
If the water is too cold to enter, it is 'buz gibi'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsActually, no. Ice cream is already made of ice. You would just say 'soğuk' or 'taze' (fresh). 'Buz gibi' is for things that aren't necessarily ice but feel like it.
Yes, if you are describing the weather or a drink. No, if you are describing a person's attitude—that would be too informal.
The most common opposite is 'ateş gibi' (like fire) or 'kaynar' (boiling).
No, 'gibi' is an invariant word. It always stays as 'gibi' regardless of the word before it.
No, that is a contradiction. It only applies to cold things.
It's a marketing tactic to emphasize how refreshing their drinks are in the heat.
No, for colors we use 'soğuk renkler'. 'Buz gibi' is for physical or emotional temperature.
Yes, many pop songs use it to describe a 'cold' lover or a refreshing summer feeling.
Only if the car's interior is literally freezing because of the AC. Otherwise, it makes no sense.
You add the past tense suffix to gibi: 'Buz gibiydi'.
Related Phrases
Buz kesilmek
builds onTo freeze (usually from fear or shock)
Soğuk duş etkisi
similarCold shower effect (a sudden shock)
Ateş gibi
contrastLike fire (very hot)
Serinlemek
specialized formTo cool down
