es faustdick hinter den Ohren haben: meaning & examples

Meanings:

• 1.

  GermanyAustriaSwitzerlandinformalMachine
  • Figurative: To be very shrewd, cunning, or sly; to possess the cleverness or guile to deceive or outmaneuver others.

  Examples

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  • Pass auf, der neue Kollege hat es faustdick hinter den Ohren und wird dich übertrumpfen.

    Watch out, the new colleague is very shrewd and will outsmart you.

  • Ich wusste, dass er es faustdick hinter den Ohren hat, als er den Deal so schnell abschloss.

    I knew he was very cunning when he closed the deal so quickly.

  • Wenn du glaubst, du kannst ihn täuschen, hast du das falsche eingeschätzt – er hat es faustdick hinter den Ohren.

    If you think you can deceive him, you have misjudged – he is very clever.

• 2.

  GermanyAustriaSwitzerlandinformalMachine
  • Literal: To have something as big as a fist behind one's ears, an image conveying hidden strength, resourcefulness, or tricks.

  Examples

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  • Der Spruch ‚es faustdick hinter den Ohren haben‘ zeigt bildlich, dass jemand verborgene Stärke besitzt.

    The phrase 'to have something as big as a fist behind one's ears' figuratively shows that someone has hidden strength.

  • Man sagt, jemand hat es faustdick hinter den Ohren, wenn er mehr weiß, als er zeigt.

    They say someone has something as big as a fist behind their ears when they know more than they show.