IdiomAnimals
French
FrenchUn oiseau rare
Meaning: An exceptional find; someone with an unlikely combination of qualities.
Literally: A rare bird
Example: “Un comptable qui parle japonais et connaît le vin : l'agence a trouvé l'oiseau rare.” — An accountant who speaks Japanese and knows wine: the agency has found a rare bird.
English equivalent: A rare bird
Equivalents in other languages
English: a rare bird
Origin: From Juvenal's rara avis in terris, a rare bird on this earth — his example being a black swan, then believed not to exist. It is used sincerely in French and ironically about as often.
More French idioms
- C'est la mer à boire It is an impossible or endless task — most often used in the negative.
- Faire son miel de quelque chose To turn something to one's own advantage.
- La substantifique moelle The essential substance of something, reached only by real effort.
- Refiler la patate chaude To hand an awkward problem to someone else.
- Dans le pétrin In serious trouble.
- Avoir du pain sur la planche To have a great deal of work ahead.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches, archi-sèches? A merciless duel between 'ch' and 's'.
- Si six scies scient six cyprès, six cents scies scient six cents cyprès. An 's' / 'si' minefield.
- Dans ta tente ta tante t'attend. A gentle 'ta / ten / tan / t'' warm-up that sounds faster than it reads.
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