IdiomFood & Drink
French
FrenchNi chair ni poisson
Meaning: Neither one thing nor the other; impossible to classify.
Literally: Neither flesh nor fish
Example: “Ce film n'est ni chair ni poisson, ni comédie ni drame.” — This movie is neither fish nor fowl, neither comedy nor drama.
English equivalent: Neither fish nor fowl
Equivalents in other languages
Portuguese: nem carne nem peixe Literally: Neither meat nor fish
English: neither fish nor fowl
Origin: From the Church's dietary rules, which divided food into meat and the fish permitted on fast days. Something falling in neither category defeated the whole system of classification.
More French idioms
- Clouer le bec à quelqu'un To silence someone completely, usually with an unanswerable reply.
- Se crêper le chignon To have a furious quarrel — said of women.
- Avoir les yeux de Chimène pour quelqu'un To be visibly smitten with someone or something.
- Se faire des cheveux blancs To worry oneself sick.
- Haut les cœurs ! Take courage; lift your spirits.
- Aux calendes grecques Never — used of something postponed indefinitely.
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