
IdiomDaily Life
French
L'enfance de l'art
Meaning: Utterly elementary; child's play.
Literally: The infancy of the art
Example: “Pour un plombier, changer ce joint, c'est l'enfance de l'art.” — For a plumber, replacing that seal is child's play.
English equivalent: Child's play
Equivalents in other languages
English: child's play
Origin: The infancy of a discipline is its first and crudest stage, so anything belonging to it requires no skill at all. Note that the sense inverts the English 'in its infancy', which describes something undeveloped rather than easy.
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- La balle est dans votre camp It is your turn to act; the decision now rests with you.
- Convoquer le ban et l'arrière-ban To call in absolutely everyone available.
- Une république bananière A corrupt, unstable state run for the benefit of a few private interests.
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- On récolte ce que l'on sème Your actions bring consequences that match them.
- Charbonnier est maître chez soi Everyone, however humble, is in charge in their own home.
- Faute d'un point, Martin perdit son âne A tiny mistake can cost you dearly.
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