What does the expression “Like water off a goose’s back” mean?
No matter what happens, he doesn’t care – “как с гуся вода” (“kak s gusya voda!”) or “like water off a goose’s back”! This is what one says when a person is indifferent to everything and nothing affects them.
The whole point is that a goose’s feathers are covered with a special layer of fat that repels water. Therefore, no matter how long they swim in a pond, they will get ashore completely dry.
In the play ‘Marriage’ by famous Russian writer Nikolai Gogol, the main character’s friend is unhappy with his indecisiveness – Podkolesin either wants to get married or not, will propose to a potential bride or not. And he remains indifferent to all the admonitions. “After all, here’s what’s annoying: he got married – and it’s not enough for him; all this is like water off a goose’s back – that’s what’s unbearable! He’ll go to his apartment and lie there and smoke a pipe,” said the indignant Kochkarev.
An English equivalent is very similar: “Like water off a duck’s back.”
