IdiomDaily Life
Italian
ItalianIl gioco non vale la candela
Meaning: The effort or risk is out of proportion to what you'd gain.
Literally: The game isn't worth the candle
Example: “Rifare tutto il sito per cambiare un colore? Il gioco non vale la candela.” — Rebuild the whole website to change one color? The game isn't worth the candle.
English equivalent: The game is not worth the candle
Equivalents in other languages
French: Le jeu n'en vaut pas la chandelle Literally: The game is not worth the candle
English: the game is not worth the candle
Spanish: Sale más caro el collar que el perro Literally: The collar costs more than the dog
Japanese: 労多くして功少なし (Rō ōkushite kō sukunashi) Literally: Much toil, little merit
Dutch: Het sop is de kool niet waard Literally: The broth isn't worth the cabbage
Polish: Gra niewarta świeczki Literally: The game isn't worth the candle
Russian: Игра не стоит свеч (Igra ne stoit svech) Literally: The game isn't worth the candles
Chinese: 得不偿失 (Dé bù cháng shī) Literally: The gain doesn't make up for the loss
Origin: A translation of the French le jeu n'en vaut pas la chandelle. Card players paid for the candles that lit their game, so a game played for small stakes could cost more in light than it paid in winnings.
More Italian idioms
- In bocca al lupo Good luck! (replied with 'Crepi!' — may it die).
- Non tutte le ciambelle riescono col buco Things don't always go as planned.
- Avere le braccine corte To be stingy; to never reach for the check.
- Cadere a fagiolo To arrive at exactly the perfect moment.
- Fare il diavolo a quattro To raise absolute hell; to cause a huge scene.
- Acqua in bocca Keep it secret; don't tell anyone.
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