nem carne nem peixe
Meaning: Something or someone that does not fit into any clear category and remains ambiguous or undefined.
Language: Portuguese
Literally: neither meat nor fish
Category: Food & Drink
Origin: The phrase draws from the contrast between two distinct categories of food to express the idea of belonging to neither category—existing in an unclear middle ground.
More idioms — Food & Drink
- water bij de wijn doen — to compromise or make a concession in a dispute or negotiation.
- alleen de rozijnen uitpikken — to select only the best or most desirable items while ignoring the rest.
- roet in het eten gooien — to spoil or ruin a plan, event, or situation by introducing an unwelcome disruption.
- knollen voor citroenen verkopen — To swindle or defraud someone by passing off something worthless as valuable.
- brood zien in — To view something as a viable or profitable business opportunity.
- weten waar Abraham de mosterd haalt — To be well-informed or knowledgeable about how things really work.
More Portuguese idioms
- homem dos sete ofícios — A person who can do many different jobs or possesses many different skills, though often…
- olho da tempestade — A moment of unexpected calm or peace in the middle of chaos or crisis.
- cair em saco roto — Words or advice that fail to reach their intended audience; to be ignored or dismissed.
- ás na manga — A hidden advantage or resource held in reserve to be revealed when needed.
- matar cachorro a grito — To be extremely poor or destitute.
- mandar bala — To pursue something with enthusiasm and vigor.
From our tongue twisters
- A aranha arranha a rã. A rã arranha a aranha. — Contrasts the soft single r of aranha against the hard rolled rr of arranha — one letter…
- O rato roeu a roupa do rei de Roma; a rainha com raiva roeu o resto. — An unstoppable 'r' trill drill — every key word begins or ends with the Portuguese r.
- Um tigre, dois tigres, três tigres tristes triscam trigo num trigal. — A 'tr' cluster drill that adds a sad adjective to make the alliteration worse.