IdiomBody & Senses
French
FrenchÇa pique
Meaning: It is very expensive or causes financial pain.
Literally: It stings
Example: “Le plein d'essence à cent euros, ça pique !” — A hundred euros to fill up the tank? Ouch!
English equivalent: To cost an arm and a leg
Other ways to say this
Spanish: Costar un ojo de la cara Literally: To cost an eye from the face
Finnish: Maksaa maltaita Literally: To cost malts
English: To cost an arm and a leg- French: Coûter un bras Literally: To cost an arm
- French: Coûter la peau des fesses Literally: To cost the skin off one's backside / the eyes out of one's head
Origin: The physical sting of a nettle or a needle transferred to the wallet: a price that pique hurts to pay. It is a recent colloquial use of the verb piquer and has no particular story behind it.
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