le jeu n'en vaut pas la chandelle
(Redirected from le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle)
French
editAlternative forms
editEtymology
editLiterally, “the game is not worth the candle.” By analogy to a card game whose potential reward is so low that it is not worth lighting the candle needed to illuminate the table.
Pronunciation
editPhrase
editle jeu n’en vaut pas la chandelle
- it's not worth it; there's no point; the game is not worth the candle
Descendants
edit- → English: the game is not worth the candle (calque)
- → Italian: il gioco non vale la candela (calque)
- → Russian: игра́ не сто́ит свеч (igrá ne stóit sveč) (calque)
- → Polish: gra nie jest warta świeczki (calque)
- → Ukrainian: гра не варта свічок (hra ne varta svičok) (calque)