In the imagined dialogues in English in my head, I often encounter the problem of translating or adapting Ukrainian phrases that are either idioms or proverbs. And such phrases simply need to be known; they cannot be translated literally. Of course, one can use some ordinary words that are close in meaning. But they do not convey all the emotion or wisdom that I want to express in the conversation, even if it's imaginary :)
Such translation difficulties befell my friend's mother in London when she tried to explain to the delivery service in English that she needed to receive her order right away, blood from the nose! She literally told them about blood from the nose, which caused genuine surprise and confusion. This story not only made me laugh but also prompted me to search for analogs in the English language.
From the context and even without it, we understand that when someone says “blood from the nose”, it means that something must be done at all costs, no matter what, at any price or under any circumstances. One can also understand the origin of this phrase. After all, a nosebleed sometimes occurs due to overexertion, great stress, or fatigue. Therefore, it is appropriate to associate “blood from the nose” with an action that a person must take even when it is very difficult.
In English, there are several alternatives to this idiom:
"By all means" – By any means, at any costI must finish this project by tomorrow, by all means!
"No matter what" – No matter what happens, under any circumstancesI’ll be there on time, no matter what.
"At any cost" / "At all costs" – At any priceShe must pass the exam at all costs.
and my favorite:
"Come hell or high water" – No matter whatWe must win this game, come hell or high water!
The last one, in my opinion, fits best and conveys all the emotion that one wants to express in cases when you really need something blood from the nose. The other phrases are quite obvious and not as impactful. But they are also useful for enriching communication in English.
