FrenchAvoir les yeux plus gros que le ventre
Meaning: Taking more food than one can actually eat; wanting too much.
Literally: To have eyes bigger than the belly
Example: “J'ai rempli mon assiette, mais j'ai eu les yeux plus gros que le ventre.” — I filled my plate, but my eyes were bigger than my stomach.
English equivalent: One's eyes are bigger than one's stomach
Origin: Montaigne has a version of it in the 16th century, though with panse rather than ventre — avoir plus grands yeux que grande panse, bigger eyes than belly — and some trace the underlying image back to the Middle Ages. The logic treats the eyes as the organ of appetite and desire, capable of taking in far more food at a glance than any stomach can actually hold once it's served; the gap between what looked appealing on the plate and what the body can manage is exactly the overreach the phrase names, whether the subject is dinner or anything else taken on past the point of being able to finish it.
Equivalents in other languages
English: More French idioms
- Être un ours Being unfriendly, grumpy, and difficult to approach socially.
- Avoir une mémoire d'éléphant Having exceptional ability to remember details over time.
- Avoir une langue de vipère Speaking maliciously, spreading rumors, or being verbally cruel.
- Être sur la brèche Being actively engaged in battle or difficult work.
- Faire ses griffes Practicing or preparing oneself for a challenging task or confrontation.
- Avoir une peur bleue Being terrified or extremely frightened of something.
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