IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchPas piqué des vers
Meaning: Remarkable; really something.
Literally: Not worm-eaten
Example: “Le gâteau au chocolat de ma tante, il n'est pas piqué des vers !” — My aunt's chocolate cake is the bee's knees!
English equivalent: The bee's knees
Equivalents in other languages
Polish: cud miód Literally: Wonder honey
English: the bee's knees
Origin: Wood and cloth stored badly are eaten by worms, so something untouched has been well kept and is sound. The phrase is used admiringly and very often of things that are slightly outrageous.
More French idioms
- En grande pompe With elaborate ceremony.
- Comme le Pont-Neuf In excellent shape despite considerable age.
- Enfoncer une porte ouverte To make a great effort to establish something nobody disputes.
- La portion congrue A bare minimum, grudgingly given.
- Saoul comme un Polonais Extremely drunk.
- Défendre son pré carré To protect one's own territory or area of authority.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- Casse-pieds A massive bore or pain in the neck — someone who wears you down with their irritating way…
- Espèce de patate You dim bulb — a potato being the very picture of inert, unthinking stodginess.
- Quel râleur / quelle râleuse You never stop moaning — everything is a complaint, nothing is ever good enough.
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