zé das couves

Portuguese

Etymology

Literally "Joe of the collard greens", that is, a costermonger or a street hawker who sells collard greens. Cf. zé dos anzóis (“Joe of the hooks”) and "Maria das Hortaliças", a character from the classic 1852 book "Memórias de um sargento de milícias".

Noun

zé das couves m (plural zés das couves)

1. (humorous, informal) an average joe

   Você acha mesmo que o zé das couves vai saber de física quântica?

   Do you really think that your average joe will know about quantum mechanics?