Good as Gold

In Azerbaijani language, if silvery things can shine and sparkle, so can golden things. For instance, the adjective is used to describes leaves turning colour in qızıl payız (golden autumn).

Qızıl (gold), actually comes in a variety of colours. Qara qızıl (black gold) is perhaps familiar. Artan Hindistan iqtisadiyyatının daha çox neftə ehtiyacı var ki, bu da dünya bazarında “qara qızıl”ın bahalaşmasına səbəb olur (The growing Indian economy needs more oil, which leads to higher prices for “black gold” on the world market).

But what about ağ qızıl (white gold). Any guesses? Ağ qızıl is cotton.

Gold more than silver is the measure of a good person in Azerbaijani: O qızıldandır, bunu sənə mən deyirəm (I tell you, she’s made of gold). This is different than the English-language golden boy or golden girl, which is someone who is easily successful.

Gold also seems to have produced more expressions than silver, although the two metals share one common phrase: Danışmaq gümüş, danışmamaq qızıldır (talking is silver, but silence is golden).

There are certainly a great many things made of gold, like qızıl sözlər (golden words – wise words) and qızıl nəsil (golden generation).

And finally, where you can summon someone to do chores around the house that are more than you can handle but less than a licensed carpenter or plumber would do. There some people with "qızıl əllər" or with “golden hands”, who can fix just about anything.