Avoir du chien

Expression: Avoir du chien

Pronunciation: [a vwar du shye(n)]

Meaning: to be attractive, have a certain something

Literal translation: to have some dog

Register: informal

Notes: The French expression avoir du chien is pretty much the exact opposite of its near literal translation "to be a dog." Avoir du chien means "to be attractive," while "to be a dog" means to be extremely unattractive. In English, the animal an attractive girl would be compared to is a fox.

It's unlikely that you'd hear avoir du chien in reference to a man - it tends to be reserved for women.

Example
   Vise un peu la petite amie de Michel - elle a du chien !
   Check out Michel's date - she's a fox!

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More

• Expressions with avoir
• Expressions with de
• Most common French phrases