la nuit, tous les chats sont gris

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French

Alternative forms

Etymology

Literally "(at) the night, all cats are grey".

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /la nɥi | tu le ʃa sɔ̃ ɡʁi/
  • Audio:(file)

Proverb

la nuit, tous les chats sont gris

  1. all cats are gray in the dark
    • 1987, Eve de Castro, Les Bâtards du Soleil, p. 272:
      D’ailleurs Philippe est si peu regardant sur les perfections que quand on le moque de ce qu’il choisit mal ses maîtresses, il répond en riant: «Bah! la nuit, tous les chats sont gris! Il y a beaucoup de superflu dans la beauté des dames, je ne veux que le nécessaire.»
      Anyway, Philippe pays so little attention to these details that, when he is made fun of because he chooses his mistresses badly, he replies laughing: “Bah! By night, all cats are gray! There is a lot of superfluity in the beauty of ladies, and I only want what is necessary.

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