fichu
What does fichu mean? fichu is a French mild that translates to “ruined, damn, done for” in English.
Literal Translation
done for (euphemism for foutu)
Meaning & Usage
"ruined, damn, done for"
The polite cousin of 'foutu.' It means exactly the same thing — done for, ruined, or used as a mild intensifier — but without the sexual etymology. It's what you say when you want to express 'foutu' energy in front of your grandmother or your boss.
Examples in the Wild
'C'est fichu' — it's ruined. 'Ce fichu téléphone' — this darn phone. 'Elle est mal fichue' — she's under the weather.
When to Use It
Context
- Casual conversations with friends
- Informal settings where profanity is accepted
- As a spontaneous exclamation
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
A perfect example of French linguistic stratification. 'Foutu' and 'fichu' are interchangeable in meaning but signal completely different social registers. Choosing 'fichu' over 'foutu' says 'I'm annoyed but I have manners.' Originally, 'fichu' was a headscarf — the insult sense comes from 'badly dressed/put together.'
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Female dog; used as insult toward women.
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“to get out, to bolt, to take off”
Another crude way to say 'to leave,' slightly less aggressive than 'se casser.' 'Barre-toi' is 'get out of here.' 'Je me barre' is 'I'm leaving.' The word implies leaving quickly, sometimes covertly — sneaking out of a boring party or fleeing a bad situation.
con / conne
“stupid / idiot / asshole (fem: bitch)”
Originally vulgar slang for female genitalia (cunt), now primarily means 'stupid' or 'idiot' in France. The feminine 'conne' is more offensive than 'con'.
crade
“gross, filthy, nasty”
Slang contraction of 'crasseux' (filthy) that became its own word. It describes anything disgustingly dirty — a room, a person, a habit. Less intense than 'dégueulasse' but covers the same territory. The extended form 'cradingue' adds emphasis through its playful suffix.
raclure
“scum, lowlife, bottom-feeder”
What you scrape off the bottom of a pot — the residue, the dregs. Applied to a person, it means they're the lowest of the low, the scum of society. It's a creative insult that paints a vivid picture of worthlessness.
nique
“fuck”
The raw verb form of 'niquer,' used on its own as a crude exclamation or command. Unlike 'baiser,' which has a polite meaning (to kiss) that was slowly corrupted, 'niquer' has always been purely vulgar — borrowed from Arabic and arriving in French already loaded.
chier
“to shit / to annoy”
To defecate; also used in expressions meaning 'to annoy' or 'bore'.
dégueulasse
“disgusting, gross, nasty”
The go-to French word for expressing physical or moral disgust. It covers everything from a filthy bathroom to a politician's corruption scandal. Shortened to 'dégueu' in casual speech, which somehow sounds even more disgusted despite being shorter.