Body part idioms are universal but culturally specific in their exact forms. Dutch hand idioms: iemand de hand schudden (to shake someone’s hand), de handen uit de mouwen steken (to roll up your sleeves — to get to work), iemand de helpende hand toesteken (to extend a helping hand), zijn handen van iets aftrekken (to wash your hands of something — to refuse further involvement), met lege handen terugkomen (to come back with empty hands — to return without achieving anything).
Eye and head idioms: iets door de vingers zien (to look through the fingers at something — to turn a blind eye, to overlook deliberately), ergens een oogje op houden (to keep a little eye on something — to keep an eye on something), het hoofd boven water houden (to keep your head above water — to stay financially afloat), zijn hoofd niet kunnen buigen (not being able to bow your head — being too proud to apologise), op zijn kop staan (to stand on your head — for a situation to be upside down or chaotic).
Foot and leg idioms: met de verkeerde been uit bed stappen (to step out of bed with the wrong foot — to get up on the wrong side of the bed), ergens met beide benen op de grond staan (to stand with both feet on the ground — to be realistic and grounded), iemand een voet dwars zetten (to put a foot crosswise to someone — to put a spoke in someone’s wheel, to obstruct them), in het gareel lopen (to walk in the harness — to toe the line, to follow rules obediently).