Words and Phrases Which Express Concepts Quiz

Answer: Italian

Sprezzatura is an Italian word meaning making the difficult look easy. The word was famously used in 1939 by the historian Charles Alexander to describe the play of baseball great Joe DiMaggio.

Answer: French

L'esprit de l'escalier, literally meaning "staircase wit", is a French term used for the frequently-experienced frustration of thinking of a good retort too late. The phrase was coined by French writer Denis Diderot, who belatedly thought of the perfect reply when he was at the bottom of the stairs leading out of the mansion at which he had been attending a dinner party.

Answer: Dutch

More than any other concept, gezelligheid is said to capture the essence of Dutch culture. It refers to a spirit of togetherness which pervades the culture.

Answer: Hawaiian

Aloha is a Hawaiian word which has been incorporated into the English language to mean either hello or good-bye. Its actual meaning in the native Hawaiian language is a combination of peace and affection, somewhat similar to the Hebrew "shalom".

Answer: Chinese

Yuánfèn refers to a relationship ordained by fate or destiny. It is somewhat similar to karma in Buddhism, but it is distinguished from karma in that yuánfèn refers to the quality of a relationship, while karma is an individual quality. Yuánfèn is still an important concept in Chinese culture, and social scientists have identified a number of psychological advantages to this belief system.

Answer: Japanese

Koi no yokan is a Japanese phrase meaning the feeling on meeting someone that falling in love will be inevitable. It differs from "love at first sight", in that koi no yokan doesn't mean you are already in love, just that you know love in the future is inevitable.

Answer: Kurdish

The Peshmerga are the fighting force of the Kurdish people. It literally means "one who faces death". The Peshmerga are known as one of the best fighting forces in the world.

Answer: Latin

Ne plus ultra literally means "the highest point capable of being attained". The phrase was significant in the days of the Roman Empire, as it was said to gave been inscribed on the Rock of Gibraltar, as a warning that ships travelling in the Mediterranean Sea were not to go beyond that point.

Answer: German

Put together the German words Fingerspitze (fingertip) and Gefühl (feeling), and you get a word literally meaning "fingertip feeling", referring to a special sensitivity, flair, or tact.

Answer: Yiddish

Chutzpah is a Yiddish word meaning audacity, or supreme self-confidence. This can be either a positive or a negative trait, depending on the particular circumstances.