100 Days Idioms & Phrases Challenge | Day – 3: Once in a Blue Moon

When learning English, idioms play a huge role in making your language natural, fluent, and impressive. Native speakers use idioms regularly in conversations, blogs, movies, and social media. One such very common and high-impact idiom is “Once in a blue moon.”
In this blog post, you’ll learn the meaning, Hindi explanation, real-life examples, correct usage, common mistakes, and when NOT to use it, so you can confidently use this idiom in spoken and written English.

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Idiom

Break the ice

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English Meaning

Something that happens very rarely or almost never.

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Hindi Meaning

बहुत कम होना,
ऐसा काम जो कभी-कभार ही होता है।

🔹 Why This Idiom Is Important

Instead of repeatedly saying “very rarely”, this idiom helps you sound:

• More natural
• More fluent
• More native-like

That’s why it is widely used in spoken English, blogs, and daily conversations.

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Real-Life Usage (When to Use It)

✅ Example 1: Daily Habits

English:
I eat junk food once in a blue moon.

Hindi:
मैं जंक फूड बहुत कम खाता हूँ।

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✅ Example 2: Friends & Social Life

English:
Nowadays, we meet our old friends once in a blue moon.

Hindi:
आजकल हम पुराने दोस्तों से बहुत ही कम मिलते हैं।

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✅ Example 3: Work & Lifestyle

English:
He works overtime once in a blue moon.

Hindi:
वह कभी-कभार ही ओवरटाइम करता है।

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✅ Example 4: Spoken English (Natural Tone)

English:
She goes out at night once in a blue moon.

Hindi:
वह रात में बाहर बहुत कम निकलती है।

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Common Sentence Patterns

• I do this once in a blue moon.
• It happens once in a blue moon.
• We meet once in a blue moon.
• 👉 Mostly used at the end of the sentence.

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❌ When NOT to Use This Idiom

❌ 1. For Regular or Frequent Actions

Wrong:
I go to the office once in a blue moon.

👉 If you go daily or weekly, this idiom is incorrect.

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❌ 2. In Formal or Academic Writing

Wrong:
Such incidents happen once in a blue moon.

Correct (Formal):
Such incidents happen very rarely.

👉 Avoid idioms in exams, official reports, legal or academic writing.

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❌ 3. With Fixed Time or Numbers

Wrong:
He visits us once in a blue moon every Sunday.

👉 “Once in a blue moon” means no fixed schedule.

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✅ Formal Alternatives

• Very rarely
• Seldom
• Hardly ever
• On rare occasions

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🎯 Easy Memory Trick

A blue moon is a rare natural event.
👉 Rare moon = Rare action

So,
Once in a blue moon = Something that hardly ever happens

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