GermanDen Nagel auf den Kopf treffen
Meaning: To be exactly right.
Literally: To hit the nail on the head
Example: “Mit ihrer Frage nach dem Budget hat sie den Nagel auf den Kopf getroffen.” — With her question about the budget, she hit the nail on the head.
English equivalent: To hit the nail on the head
Origin: Usually explained by the carpenter's clean stroke, but Redensarten-Index traces it to marksmen: the center of an old shooting target was marked with a nail (also called a Zwecke, which gave German Zweck, aim or purpose), so a perfect shot hit the nail. Luther already wrote that a good marksman must always hit "the peg or nail." The phrase is common from about 1700. Neither explanation is certain, and English "hit the nail on the head" has the same ambiguity.
Equivalents in other languages
Portuguese: Acertar na mosca Literally: To hit the fly
English: hit the nail on the head
More German idioms
- Da wird der Hund in der Pfanne verrückt An exclamation of utter disbelief.
- Die Kuh vom Eis holen To resolve a precarious situation.
- Sein blaues Wunder erleben To get an unpleasant surprise.
- Da haben wir den Salat Now we've got a fine mess.
- Den Löffel abgeben To die.
- Ins Fettnäpfchen treten To commit an embarrassing social blunder.
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