stop talking nonsense; don't be ridiculous; give me a break
A set phrase used to sharply tell someone they are speaking foolishly. Often carries a tone of exasperation or contempt. The literal meaning is 'even a fool should rest before speaking', implying that the listener's words are so absurd they should take a break from talking.
There's no way that plan will succeed. Stop talking nonsense.
Saying you're the best? Give me a break.
Means 'to say something foolish', but is a general statement. 馬鹿も休み休み言え is a direct, idiomatic retort.
Also means 'don't be ridiculous' or 'stop messing around', but is more aggressive and less specifically about foolish speech.
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling.
Katakana variant for 馬鹿, often used for emphasis or in casual writing.
A set phrase combining 馬鹿 (fool), も (even), 休み休み (taking breaks), and 言え (imperative of 言う, 'say'). The literal sense is 'even a fool should rest before speaking', used idiomatically to tell someone they are talking nonsense.