World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English Dictionariestoucher un point sensible
Pronunciation / Transliteration: too-shay un pwahn sahn-seebl
"En parlant de ses échecs, j'ai touché un point sensible."
Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
To mention or bring up a sensitive, embarrassing, or painful subject that someone prefers to avoid.
"When I asked him about his recent job loss, I realized I had hit a sore spot." - 2
To unintentionally provoke an angry or defensive emotional response by touching upon an insecurity.
"Her casual joke about budgeting inadvertently hit a sore spot with the frugal manager."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Derived from the literal noun 'sore spot' on a physical body, which causes pain when touched, combined with the verb 'hit'. By the 19th century, the idiom metaphorically extended from physical tenderness to emotional vulnerability, describing remarks that provoke sensitive or painful reactions.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "Hit a sore spot"?
10 Global Lexicons: How "Hit a sore spot" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
toucher un point sensible
Transliteration: too-shay un pwahn sahn-seebl
"En parlant de ses échecs, j'ai touché un point sensible."
einen wunden Punkt treffen
Transliteration: i-nən vun-dən punkt tre-fən
"Mit dieser Frage hat sie einen wunden Punkt getroffen."
toccare un tasto dolente
Transliteration: tok-ka-re un tas-to do-len-te
"Parlando di soldi, ho toccato un tasto dolente."
tocar una llaga
Transliteration: to-kar oo-na lya-ga
"Sin querer, toqué una llaga al mencionar su antiguo proyecto."
tocar em um ponto fraco
Transliteration: to-kar em um pon-to fra-ko
"Suas críticas tocaram em um ponto fraco dele."
दुखती رग पर ہاتھ رکھنا
Transliteration: dukh-tee rag par haath rakh-na
"उसकी नौकरी के बारे में पूछकर मैंने उसकी दुखती رग पर हाथ रख दिया।"
戳到痛处
Transliteration: chuō dào tòng chù
"我的话似乎戳到了他的痛处。"
아픈 곳을 찌르다
Transliteration: a-peun got-eul jji-reu-da
"그의 실수를 언급한 것은 아픈 곳을 찌른 격이었다."
痛いところを突く
Transliteration: itai tokoro o tsuku
"彼の弱点について言うのは、痛いところを突くようなものだ。"
Related Vocabulary Words to Explore
View all French termsThe act or an instance of denying or suppressing one's own needs, desires, or existence.
The act of renouncing one's own interests, desires, or rights, typically for the sake of others or for a higher ideal.
The quality of being intensely deep or bright in color.
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