No change or No smoke?
I went to Bali last week and it was a lot of fun! However, I got confused about something when I went to a shop to buy something.
I took out a 10000 Indonesian note (about 10 USD) to buy a drink, and then the shop assistant asked me No smoke?
I think he was asking me whether I had smaller note or not. I am not sure whether it spells NO SMOKE, but i am pretty sure it pronounces like the word smoke. So I wonder if there is a saying in English that you can say No smoke instead of No change.
I know this question seems silly but a lot of thanks to those who answer it!!
_xoxo
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Corrections · 1
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If a shopkeeper had asked me that I would have assumed he was asking "No smokes?", as in "Don't you want any cigarettes?" ('smokes' being a colloquial term for 'cigarettes').
I can't think of a word similar that would mean 'no change'. The closest thing I can think of would be 'nothing smaller?" as in "Don't you have anything smaller than that note?".
Perhaps the shopkeeper was hoping they could convince you to spend more of the note by getting you to buy cigarettes?
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