뜻
Two things that do not go well together.
문화적 배경
In the fashion capital, 'fare a pugni' is a severe critique. Matching (abbinamento) is considered an art form, and failing to do so is seen as a lack of 'educazione estetica' (aesthetic education). Italians have strict rules about food pairings (e.g., no cheese on seafood). If you break these rules, an Italian might say the flavors 'fanno a pugni'. In the South, language is often more gestural and physical. The use of 'fare a pugni' might be accompanied by a gesture of two fists hitting each other to emphasize the clash. The phrase has been part of standard Italian for centuries, appearing in Tuscan literature as a way to describe discord in the city-states.
Use it for Fashion
If you want to sound like a native Italian when shopping, use this phrase to reject clothes that don't match. It shows high linguistic competence.
Literal vs. Figurative
Be careful using this with people. 'Marco e Luca fanno a pugni' means they are physically fighting. If you mean they just don't get along, say 'non vanno d'accordo'.
뜻
Two things that do not go well together.
Use it for Fashion
If you want to sound like a native Italian when shopping, use this phrase to reject clothes that don't match. It shows high linguistic competence.
Literal vs. Figurative
Be careful using this with people. 'Marco e Luca fanno a pugni' means they are physically fighting. If you mean they just don't get along, say 'non vanno d'accordo'.
Subjunctive use
After verbs of opinion (Penso che, Credo che), remember to use the subjunctive: 'Credo che quei colori *facciano* a pugni'.
The 'GN' sound
Practice the 'gn' in 'pugni' carefully. If you pronounce it like a hard 'g', Italians might not understand you.
셀프 테스트
Completa la frase con la forma corretta del verbo 'fare'.
Secondo me, questa camicia a fiori ______ a pugni con quei pantaloni a scacchi.
The subject is 'questa camicia' (singular), so the verb must be 'fa'.
Quale di queste frasi usa l'espressione in modo FIGURATO?
Scegli l'opzione corretta:
In this sentence, 'fare a pugni' describes a logical contradiction, not a physical fight.
Abbina la situazione alla frase corretta.
Situazioni: 1. Vestiti sbagliati, 2. Bugie, 3. Rissa in strada
1 matches aesthetic clash, 2 matches logical clash, 3 matches literal fight.
Completa il dialogo con l'espressione corretta.
Giulia: 'Ti piace il mio nuovo divano giallo in questa stanza blu?' Marco: 'Sinceramente, Giulia, il giallo e il blu così accesi _______.'
The correct idiomatic form is 'fanno a pugni'.
🎉 점수: /4
시각 학습 자료
Literal vs Figurative
연습 문제 은행
4 연습 문제Secondo me, questa camicia a fiori ______ a pugni con quei pantaloni a scacchi.
The subject is 'questa camicia' (singular), so the verb must be 'fa'.
Scegli l'opzione corretta:
In this sentence, 'fare a pugni' describes a logical contradiction, not a physical fight.
왼쪽의 각 항목을 오른쪽의 짝과 연결하세요:
1 matches aesthetic clash, 2 matches logical clash, 3 matches literal fight.
Giulia: 'Ti piace il mio nuovo divano giallo in questa stanza blu?' Marco: 'Sinceramente, Giulia, il giallo e il blu così accesi _______.'
The correct idiomatic form is 'fanno a pugni'.
🎉 점수: /4
자주 묻는 질문
12 질문Yes! If you put pineapple on pizza, an Italian will definitely say those flavors 'fanno a pugni'.
It's quite direct. Use it with friends, but with strangers, it might be better to say 'non si abbinano bene'.
'Fare a pugni' can be figurative (clashing colors), but 'fare a botte' is almost always literal physical fighting.
Use 'hanno fatto a pugni' for a completed action or 'facevano a pugni' for a description of a past state.
Yes, it's a poetic way to say you are having an internal conflict or your thoughts are contradictory.
It's very common in informal speech, especially in Rome and central Italy, but 'fare a pugni' is the standard form.
Yes, in this idiom, 'a' is mandatory. Without it, the phrase loses its idiomatic meaning.
Absolutely. If a singer is out of tune with the orchestra, you can say they 'fanno a pugni'.
Yes, 'essere in contrasto' or 'essere incompatibile' are the formal equivalents.
Because 'pugni' (fists) implies the aggression of a clash, whereas 'mani' (hands) would be too gentle.
Yes, to describe ideas or data that contradict each other: 'Questi numeri fanno a pugni con il report di ieri'.
Yes, it is a standard Italian expression recognized from North to South.
관련 표현
fare a botte
similarTo get into a physical fight
essere in contrasto
synonymTo be in contrast
non azzeccarci nulla
similarTo have nothing to do with each other
fare a cazzotti
synonymTo clash/fight (informal)
andare d'accordo
contrastTo get along / To match
