FrenchMettre le doigt sur la plaie
Meaning: Identifying the exact problem or sensitive issue in a situation.
Literally: To put one's finger on the wound
Example: “Quand la stagiaire a demandé pourquoi personne ne lisait les rapports, elle a mis le doigt sur la plaie.” — When the intern asked why nobody ever read the reports, she put her finger right on the problem.
English equivalent: To put one's finger on it
Origin: Usually traced to the Gospel scene in which the apostle Thomas, doubting the resurrection, puts his finger on the wounds of the risen Christ. In the idiom the finger no longer verifies a wound but points to one: it means naming precisely what is causing a problem. Plaie comes from Latin plaga, a blow or a wound.
Equivalents in other languages
English: put one's finger on it
More French idioms
- Faire un poisson d'avril To play an April Fools' prank on someone.
- Être une girouette Being inconsistent, constantly changing opinions or allegiances.
- Faire la soupe à la grimace To sulk; to give someone a sour, unwelcoming face, especially at home.
- Avoir la bougeotte To be restless; unable to stay put, always wanting to travel or move somewhere new.
- Être aux petits soins To wait on someone hand and foot; to lavish care and attention on them.
- Montrer les dents Displaying aggression, defiance, or readiness to fight.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- Seize chaises sèches sur seize arches sèches. A relentless collision of 'sei', 'sèch', and 's' — the tongue can't find traction.
- Un beau ver vert dans un verre vert verra un ver vert. Ver (worm), vert (green), and verre (glass) are near-homophones — distinguishing them at…
- Didon dîna, dit-on, du dos d'un dodu dindon dont le dodu dos dodine. A 'd' / 'din' / 'dod' avalanche that seems designed to jam the tongue in third gear.
Keep exploring