He studies like a donkey. He is a donkey reader.

[sb70012]

Hello,
Here in Iran we college students always joke to our classmates who study a lot. There is a sentence which we use to joke to a classmate who studies a lot.

Jennifer, look at Alex. Hahaha, he looks like ready for the exam. He studies like a donkey. He is a donkey reader.
(a donkey who reads a lot and never gets tired)
We never get it as an insult. If my classmates say that to me, sure I will laugh and say: "hahahaha no I'm not that much smart. I don't have enough study these days."

I want to know what you native English speakers say in the circumstance I explained.

Thank you so much

 

[MikeNewYork]

Hello,
Here in Iran we college students always joke to our classmates who study a lot. There is a sentence which we use to joke to a classmate who studies a lot.

Jennifer, look at Alex. Hahaha, he looks like ready for the exam. He studies like a donkey. He is a donkey reader.
(a donkey who reads a lot and never gets tired)
We never get it as an insult. If my classmates say that to me, sure I will laugh and say: "hahahaha no I'm not that much smart. I don't have enough study these days."

I want to know what you native English speakers say in the circumstance I explained.

Thank you so much

I can't think of any donkey phrases. We might call that person a "bookworm" and that does have a negative meaning to most.

 

[JMurray]

not a teacher

If you search "cram" at the top of this page you'll find a couple of threads dealing with "cram", "mug up", "swot" and other terms meaning to study hard, especially for exams.

 

[sb70012]

Everybody thanks for answering.

What's your opinion about this expression: "He burns the midnight oil"

Is it ok to be used in the context I explained? Is it a common expression among you native English speakers?

 

[MikeNewYork]

Everybody thanks for answering.

What's your opinion about this expression: "He burns the midnight oil"

Is it ok to be used in the context I explained? Is it a common expression among you native English speakers?

Burning the midnight oil usually refers to staying up late for a particular exam or project. It is usually not a repetitive behavior.

 

[sb70012]

Thank you. Then I will use "bookworm"

I.e. Alex you are really a bookworm.

If I say it to a student, will he get sad or angry? I mean will he take it as an insult or bad behavior?

 

[MikeNewYork]

Thank you. Then I will use "bookworm"

I.e. Alex you are really a bookworm.

If I say it to a student, will he get sad or angry? I mean will he take it as an insult or bad behavior?

It depends. My brother was a bookworm and that did not bother him. It would bother others. Other guys are called jocks (athlete types). It bothers some and not others.

 

[Grumpy]

The term "swot" has already been mentioned. In BrE, this is the most common word used in this context, both as a verb [to study hard] and as a noun [one who studies hard]. As a verb, it has few negative connotations: even the laziest individual will generally admit to doing a bit of "swotting" the night before an exam. However, to be called a "Swot" in the UK is to be damned in the eyes of one's fellow students, as someone who is [in some strange way] seeking to gain an unfair advantage over everyone else by actually working hard. In these circles, the heroic individual is the one who appears to do no work, and either scrapes through the exam, or - even more laudably - fails it.
Such are the workings of the adolescent mind.....

 

[sb70012]

Hello again,
What's your opinion about "studious"? Is it common? I mean is it used these days?

 

[MikeNewYork]

Hello again,
What's your opinion about "studious"? Is it common? I mean is it used these days?

Yes, "studious" is used and has no negative connotations. "Swot" is not used in the US.