Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
coup de bambou
English translation:
(the prices are) sky-high
Added to glossary by
Peter Shortall
Dec 18, 2005 18:56
18 yrs ago
French term
coup de bambou
French to English
Marketing
Tourism & Travel
holiday resorts
A comment from a holidaymaker surveyed about a holiday resort. Is (s)he talking about the high price of drinks at the bar or the actual fact of having to pay for something that should be included?
Un certain nombre de vacanciers estiment que l'appellation "Tout compris" est parfois sur-prometteuse voire mensongère
Des boissons souvent hors forfait
"Au [company name], le bar est magnifique mais il n'est pas compris et c'est le coup de bambou"
"L'eau en bouteille n'est pas incluse !"
Un certain nombre de vacanciers estiment que l'appellation "Tout compris" est parfois sur-prometteuse voire mensongère
Des boissons souvent hors forfait
"Au [company name], le bar est magnifique mais il n'est pas compris et c'est le coup de bambou"
"L'eau en bouteille n'est pas incluse !"
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +6 | (the) prices are sky-high |
Peter Shortall
|
| 3 +6 | In the bar they really fleece you :-) |
Michel A.
|
| 3 +2 | really expensive |
Sheila Hardie
|
| 4 +1 | a real rip-off |
CMJ_Trans (X)
|
| 4 | explanation -nfg |
sarahl (X)
|
| 4 | exorbitant / over-priced |
Allan Jeffs
|
| 4 -1 | coup de fouet |
Nora Armani
|
| 3 -1 | the final straw |
reubenius
|
Proposed translations
+6
3 mins
Peter Shortall
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
Works in field
United Kingdom
Legal / Business / Government
Native in: English
Works in: Romanian to English, Russian to English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
16
Selected
(the) prices are sky-high
My reading is that the prices in the bar are sky-high.
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Note added at 6 mins (2005-12-18 19:02:46 GMT)
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I think the use of "et" signifies that on top of the fact that it is not included, it is very expensive as well (the "coup de grace!") Otherwise there wouldn't really be much need for it, it could be replaced by a comma.
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Note added at 6 mins (2005-12-18 19:02:46 GMT)
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I think the use of "et" signifies that on top of the fact that it is not included, it is very expensive as well (the "coup de grace!") Otherwise there wouldn't really be much need for it, it could be replaced by a comma.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "All very good ideas, I'll go with Peter's answer though. Thanks to everyone who answered or commented !"
7 mins
explanation -nfg
the phrase is misused here, it should be "coup de fusil" meaning overly expensive as the other answerer suggested.
"coup de bambou" really means sunstroke which wouldn't make sense in this particular context.
"coup de bambou" really means sunstroke which wouldn't make sense in this particular context.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Michel A.
: coucou, ça va tekmo ? (coup de bambou = coup de fusil, pour c'que j'en sais)
2 mins
|
|
pour moi c'est pas pareil deudo !
|
|
| neutral |
PFB (X)
: euh l'ôtre, eh? Coup de bambou = trop cher. M'enfin! Y'a trop de soleil à ST Louis - ça te tape sur la tête! ;-)))
18 mins
|
|
coup de bambou c'est de l'argot pied-noir. et ton chevreuil ? à st louis il neige !!!
|
+6
7 mins
In the bar they really fleece you :-)
-
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
sarahl (X)
: ils acceptent les moutons dans les bistrots au Canada, deudo ?
9 mins
|
|
bêêê...
|
|
| agree |
PFB (X)
15 mins
|
|
Cheers
|
|
| agree |
Dr Sue Levy (X)
: Canada??? Hey bro! :-)
44 mins
|
|
Just moved 2 months ago to Montreal
|
|
| agree |
RHELLER
: I thought you were in the UK!?
54 mins
|
|
Just moved 2 months ago to Montreal
|
|
| agree |
Enza Longo
: welcome to Montreal, Michel!
3 hrs
|
|
Merci (2 fois) !
|
|
| agree |
Sandra C.
: Bienvenue au Canada, Michel!
3 hrs
|
|
Merci (2 fois) !
|
+2
7 mins
Sheila Hardie
Spain
Spain
Native in English
Works in field
Spain
passion des mots
Native in: English 
Works in: Catalan to English, French to English, Spanish to English, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
28
really expensive
Both, I think. I mean I think that first of all they are annoyed it's not included in the overall price they paid for the holiday - as they had been led to think it would (so they have to pay extra). Moreover, the drinks are expensive.
That's how I read it in any case.
HTH
Sheila
C'est le coup de bambou (*) Lit. It's a bamboo stroke. It means something is painfully expensive. The notion of pain is recurrent when talking about something expensive. For instance, after a nice meal at the restaurant, customers know they are going to have to face la douloureuse, the painful one, i.e. the bill.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/cool/money.shtml
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Note added at 17 mins (2005-12-18 19:14:15 GMT)
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other ways of saying this might be 'they charge the earth' or 'they charge an arm and a leg'. etc.
bambou / bA~bu / nom masculin bamboo; des pousses de bambou bamboo shoots; coup de bambou (facture) steep ou hefty bill; dans ce magasin, c'est le coup de bambou in that shop GB ou store US, they charge the earth; avoir le coup de bambou (se comporter bizarrement) to go off one's rocker[!]; (être fatigué) to be knackered[!]GB ou bushed[!] US.
Oxford Superlex
That's how I read it in any case.
HTH
Sheila
C'est le coup de bambou (*) Lit. It's a bamboo stroke. It means something is painfully expensive. The notion of pain is recurrent when talking about something expensive. For instance, after a nice meal at the restaurant, customers know they are going to have to face la douloureuse, the painful one, i.e. the bill.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/cool/money.shtml
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Note added at 17 mins (2005-12-18 19:14:15 GMT)
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other ways of saying this might be 'they charge the earth' or 'they charge an arm and a leg'. etc.
bambou / bA~bu / nom masculin bamboo; des pousses de bambou bamboo shoots; coup de bambou (facture) steep ou hefty bill; dans ce magasin, c'est le coup de bambou in that shop GB ou store US, they charge the earth; avoir le coup de bambou (se comporter bizarrement) to go off one's rocker[!]; (être fatigué) to be knackered[!]GB ou bushed[!] US.
Oxford Superlex
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
RHELLER
: in the U.S. we say "they really sock it to you with the bar bill or "they charge an arm and a leg" is very common but "the earth" is unheard of here :-)
54 mins
|
| agree |
Aotearoa
: I've enjoyed reading all these colourful expressions! Here in NZ we use "the earth" sometimes, but another great one we use is "they charge like a wounded bull" :-)
1 hr
|
-1
25 mins
Nora Armani
United States
United States
Native in French
&
English
Specializes in field
United States
We bridge concepts & IT cultures
Native in: English (Variants: US, British) 
, French (Variant: Standard-France)
Works in: English, French to English, Armenian to English, and 8 more.
coup de fouet
Meaning a beating!
The price is so high it is like receiving a beating!
Un coup de fouet. (Un coup de bamboo... which makes you leave behind your... peau des fesses! Another way of saying very expensive.)
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Note added at 2 hrs 14 mins (2005-12-18 21:11:21 GMT)
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Also, in this context it can mean 'eye opener' (coup de fouet = invigorating but also something that wakes you up) the experience may have been an eye opener due to the expensive prices and also the fact that dirnks were not included as they were initially led to believe. Therefore a 'wake-up call'.
Cheers,
Nora
The price is so high it is like receiving a beating!
Un coup de fouet. (Un coup de bamboo... which makes you leave behind your... peau des fesses! Another way of saying very expensive.)
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Note added at 2 hrs 14 mins (2005-12-18 21:11:21 GMT)
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Also, in this context it can mean 'eye opener' (coup de fouet = invigorating but also something that wakes you up) the experience may have been an eye opener due to the expensive prices and also the fact that dirnks were not included as they were initially led to believe. Therefore a 'wake-up call'.
Cheers,
Nora
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
sarahl (X)
: sorry but coup de fouet means invigorating in French, quite different meaning! :-)//well, no pain involved in coup de fouet (energy) and coup de foudre (hopefully)...
1 hr
|
|
You are right, but here I am referring to it as the pain inducing experience. Le coup (many examples in French have coup: de foudre, de barre, de vieux) all mean differnet things, but all have to du with a beating (or stroke of...) something.
|
|
| disagree |
df49f (X)
: agree with Sarah - coup de fouet # coup de bambou and nothing to do with an eye-opener either
23 hrs
|
-1
3 hrs
the final straw
http://www.radiofrance.fr/thematiques/sport/accueil/articles...
http://fr.biz.yahoo.com/050906/17/4kjxd.html
In these contexts it seems to mean 'the final straw' or 'to top it all off'.
Another suggestion.
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Note added at 3 hrs 32 mins (2005-12-18 22:29:25 GMT)
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ie In ... the bar is magnificent, but it's not incluede and that's the final straw. You have to pay for bottled water!
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Note added at 3 hrs 36 mins (2005-12-18 22:32:51 GMT)
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ie In ... the bar is magnificent, but it's not incluede and that's the final straw. You have to pay for bottled water!
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Note added at 3 hrs 36 mins (2005-12-18 22:33:27 GMT)
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'included', even!
http://fr.biz.yahoo.com/050906/17/4kjxd.html
In these contexts it seems to mean 'the final straw' or 'to top it all off'.
Another suggestion.
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Note added at 3 hrs 32 mins (2005-12-18 22:29:25 GMT)
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ie In ... the bar is magnificent, but it's not incluede and that's the final straw. You have to pay for bottled water!
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs 36 mins (2005-12-18 22:32:51 GMT)
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ie In ... the bar is magnificent, but it's not incluede and that's the final straw. You have to pay for bottled water!
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Note added at 3 hrs 36 mins (2005-12-18 22:33:27 GMT)
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'included', even!
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
df49f (X)
: coup de bamboo means it costs an arm and a leg
20 hrs
|
+1
13 hrs
a real rip-off
they really rip you off
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Note added at 2005-12-19 10:39:13 (GMT)
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they take you to the cleaner\'s
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Note added at 2005-12-19 10:39:13 (GMT)
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they take you to the cleaner\'s
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
df49f (X)
9 hrs
|
14 hrs
exorbitant / over-priced
Two more alternatives
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Note added at 14 hrs 38 mins (2005-12-19 09:35:18 GMT)
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"exorbitantly priced"
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Note added at 14 hrs 38 mins (2005-12-19 09:35:18 GMT)
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"exorbitantly priced"
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