15초 만에
- Describes someone exceptionally quick-witted and sharp.
- Used to praise resourcefulness and fast reflexes.
- Common in casual conversation and friendly storytelling.
뜻
This expression refers to someone who is extremely quick, clever, or agile, especially when trying to escape a tricky situation or seize an opportunity. It describes a 'sharp' person who doesn't let anything slide past them.
주요 예문
3 / 6Watching a friend win a fast-paced video game
Nossa, você é um rato que corre, nem vi você ganhando!
Wow, you're so sharp, I didn't even see you winning!
A colleague finding a solution to a technical bug instantly
O Paulo resolveu isso em dois minutos; ele é um rato que corre.
Paulo solved this in two minutes; he's a sharp one.
Texting about a friend who found a great travel deal
A Maria já achou a promoção. Que rato que corre!
Maria already found the sale. What a sharp cookie!
문화적 배경
The expression draws from the 'jeitinho brasileiro' and general Lusophone values of resourcefulness. In many Portuguese-speaking cultures, being 'slow' is a social disadvantage, so praising someone's 'running' (quickness) is a high compliment of their intelligence. It reflects a history of needing to be adaptable and quick-witted to navigate complex social or economic systems.
Tone Matters
Say it with a smile! If you say it with a frown, it might sound like you're calling them a 'pest' rather than 'clever'.
The 'Rato' Family
In Portuguese, calling someone a 'rato' is often a compliment for being experienced, like `rato de academia` for a gym rat.
15초 만에
- Describes someone exceptionally quick-witted and sharp.
- Used to praise resourcefulness and fast reflexes.
- Common in casual conversation and friendly storytelling.
What It Means
Think of a mouse darting across a kitchen floor. It is fast, hard to catch, and very alert. When you call someone a rato que corre, you are saying they are incredibly sharp. They have quick reflexes and a fast mind. It is not just about physical speed. It is about being 'street smart' and resourceful.
How To Use It
You use this to describe a person's character or a specific action. You can say someone 'is' a rato que corre. It acts like a badge of cleverness. You might use it when a friend solves a problem instantly. Or when a colleague finds a loophole you missed. It is usually a compliment, though sometimes slightly envious.
When To Use It
Use it when you are impressed by someone's quick thinking. It fits perfectly at a sports game or a fast-paced office. If a friend snags the last concert tickets in seconds, they are a rato que corre. Use it during casual chats or when telling stories about clever people. It adds a bit of local flavor to your descriptions.
When NOT To Use It
Avoid using this in very solemn or tragic situations. If someone is running away from a serious legal problem, it might sound too lighthearted. Do not use it for someone who is just 'busy' without being clever. It requires that element of 'sharpness' or 'wit.' Also, keep it away from super-formal academic writing.
Cultural Background
In Portuguese culture, the 'rato' (mouse/rat) often represents survival and cunning. Unlike the English 'rat,' which can mean a snitch, the Portuguese rato is often a 'survivor.' It stems from old urban proverbs about who survives in the city. The one who runs (and thinks) fastest stays ahead of the cat. It celebrates the 'malandragem' or the art of being savvy.
Common Variations
You might hear rato de praia for someone who knows every inch of the beach. Or rato de biblioteca for a bookworm. However, rato que corre specifically emphasizes the speed of wit. Sometimes people just say ele é um rato to mean he is crafty. Adding the 'running' part makes it more dynamic and active.
사용 참고사항
This phrase is safely informal. It works best in social circles, among colleagues who have a rapport, or when commenting on a public figure's quick maneuvers. Avoid in formal documentation.
Tone Matters
Say it with a smile! If you say it with a frown, it might sound like you're calling them a 'pest' rather than 'clever'.
The 'Rato' Family
In Portuguese, calling someone a 'rato' is often a compliment for being experienced, like `rato de academia` for a gym rat.
Not for 'Snitches'
Unlike English, 'rato' doesn't usually mean a traitor or snitch. Use `X9` or `dedo-duro` for that!
예시
6Nossa, você é um rato que corre, nem vi você ganhando!
Wow, you're so sharp, I didn't even see you winning!
Highlights the friend's quick reflexes and skill.
O Paulo resolveu isso em dois minutos; ele é um rato que corre.
Paulo solved this in two minutes; he's a sharp one.
Professional but admiring tone for a smart coworker.
A Maria já achou a promoção. Que rato que corre!
Maria already found the sale. What a sharp cookie!
Short, punchy reaction to someone being resourceful.
Esse menino é um rato que corre, nada escapa dele!
This boy is so quick, nothing escapes him!
Lighthearted and humorous observation of a child's cleverness.
Para sobreviver aqui, você tem que ser rato que corre.
To survive here, you have to be quick and sharp.
Reflects the necessity of being alert in a tough environment.
Gosto da sua agilidade, você é mesmo um rato que corre.
I like your agility, you really are a sharp one.
Informal praise within a professional relationship.
셀프 테스트
Choose the best word to complete the compliment for a very clever friend.
O João resolveu o problema num piscar de olhos. Ele é um ___ que corre!
The idiom specifically uses 'rato' to denote the combination of smallness, speed, and cunning.
Which verb correctly completes the phrase?
Ela é um rato que ___, sempre à frente de todos.
The phrase 'rato que corre' emphasizes the action of running as a metaphor for quick thinking.
🎉 점수: /2
시각 학습 자료
Formality of 'Rato que corre'
Slang among close friends.
E aí, seu rato!
Standard casual conversation.
Ele é um rato que corre.
Safe for most social settings.
Ela foi muito rápida, um rato que corre.
Avoid in legal or academic texts.
N/A
Where to spot a 'Rato que corre'
Competitive Gaming
Fast reflexes
Business Negotiations
Finding loopholes
Daily Commute
Finding the best route
Shopping
Snagging limited deals
연습 문제 은행
2 연습 문제O João resolveu o problema num piscar de olhos. Ele é um ___ que corre!
The idiom specifically uses 'rato' to denote the combination of smallness, speed, and cunning.
Ela é um rato que ___, sempre à frente de todos.
The phrase 'rato que corre' emphasizes the action of running as a metaphor for quick thinking.
🎉 점수: /2
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문Usually, yes! In this context, it means being sharp or experienced. However, in some very specific contexts, it can imply someone is a bit too 'sneaky,' so pay attention to the speaker's vibe.
Yes, but you would still typically use the masculine um rato because the idiom is fixed, though some might say uma rata que corre in very informal settings.
It's similar to esperto, but more colorful. While esperto is just 'smart,' rato que corre implies speed and agility in action.
It is widely understood in both, though the specific phrasing rato que corre is very common in Brazilian colloquialism to describe street-smart people.
Probably not. It's a bit too colorful for a formal interview. Stick to ágil or proativo instead.
If you just say Ele é um rato, it usually means he is very experienced or 'old school' at something, like a rato de palco (an experienced stage actor).
If someone is 'sneaky' in a bad way, you might call them sorrateiro. Rato que corre is almost always about being impressively fast.
Not necessarily. It's mostly metaphorical for mental speed, though it can apply to a very fast athlete too.
The 'R' in rato is a throaty 'H' sound (like 'hot'), and the 'que' sounds like 'ki'. So: 'HA-too ki CO-hee'.
Definitely! If someone is being very slow, saying 'Nossa, que rato que corre...' with a heavy dose of irony is a classic move.
관련 표현
Rato de biblioteca
Bookworm / Someone who spends all their time in libraries.
Ligeiro
Quick/Fast-thinking (often used for street-smart people).
Ficar esperto
To stay alert or keep one's eyes peeled.
Pular miúdo
To act quickly to avoid trouble.
