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same shit, different toilet

same shit, different toilet

9.9
The same problems stay even when things change
  • idiom
  • Offensive
translation icon : la misma mierda, distinto lugar
  • After changing companies, Lisa discovered it was same shit, different toilet—office politics everywhere.

Examples

  • Every time we change managers, it's still same shit, different toilet.

  • People often think a new relationship will solve their problems, but it's often same shit, different toilet.

  • Despite moving to a bigger city, he found that it was just same shit, different toilet.

  • It's just same shit, different toilet with this project!

  • After changing companies, Lisa discovered it was same shit, different toilet—office politics everywhere.

  • Despite moving to a bigger city, he found that it was just same shit, different toilet.

  • People often think a new relationship will solve their problems, but it's often same shit, different toilet.

Synonyms

same old story
vssame shit, different toilet
  • Informal
7 3.7

A situation that happens again and again and feels boring

says the same problems continue even when circumstances change
different clowns, same circus
vssame shit, different toilet
  • Informal
9.9

A situation where different people bring the same problems

says problems persist despite different settings or people

Antonyms

new ballgame
  • Informal
3 6.1

A situation that is very different and needs a new way to act or think

Surface Forms

Morphology

same + shit, + different + toilet

The literal words ('same', 'shit', 'different', 'toilet') signal a contrast between sameness and change of context, so learners can partially infer that it comments on unchanged problems in a new situation. However, the use of 'shit' metaphorically for 'problems/unkindest' and the vulgar, idiomatic mapping to 'toilet' is culturally marked and not fully predictable from the parts without prior exposure.

Etymology

Same shit, different toilet gives a simple, dirty image: the same shit is just in a different toilet, so nothing really changes. That's why people use it to mean 'the same problems' are still there even after a change.