Jouer à pile ou face

Meaning: To decide by tossing a coin.

Literally: To play stack or face

Example: “Pour savoir qui ferait la vaisselle, ils ont joué à pile ou face.” — To decide who would do the dishes, they tossed a coin.

Origin: Pile was the lower die in coin striking, the fixed one the blank was laid on, and face was the upper die bearing the portrait. The words name the tools, not the sides.

More French idioms

Battre son plein To be in full swing.
Péter les plombs To lose one's temper completely.
Faire le point To take stock of where things stand.
Pomme de discorde The particular thing two parties are fighting over.
En grande pompe With elaborate ceremony.
Comme le Pont-Neuf In excellent shape despite considerable age.

Explore another collection: False Friends

Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.

Ignorer Actually means 'to be unaware of' or 'not to know'. J'ignore la réponse = I don't know th…
Déception Actually means 'disappointment'. For deception (a trick), say tromperie.
Monnaie Actually means 'change' or 'coins'. Money in general is l'argent.

Browse all false friends →

Keep exploring

Explore all idioms →

More idioms — Daily Life

More French idioms

Explore another collection: False Friends