In general, idioms are the essence of a language and represent the national cultural heritage. In the case of Italian idioms, of course, the situation is the same. It is difficult to translate them literally from one language to another, except by adapting and localising their content to the context of the country itself.

They are the mirror of a nation's history, traditions and mentality. They arise from the observation of reality and nature (e.g. they refer to animals), are linked to particular historical events or anecdotes, and so on.