All about the French expression "C'est bête comme chou"

Are you ready to learn everything you have to know about the funny French idiom "C'est bête comme chou"? It includes a full explanation of what it is and how to use it in a conversation with an audio example. But wait, we also added super useful stuff like dialogue example, slow pronunciation audio, synonyms and more!

Translation in English

Translation : It's super easy
Literal meaning : It's stupid like cabbage
Register : Informal - Funny

Pronunciation example

Slow

Normal

IPA : / sɛ bɛt kɔm ʃu /

Learn French
with Audio Stories

Try for Free

What does it mean exactly?

Definition

C'est → It is
bête → stupid
comme → like
chou → cabbage

Let me clarify this: we don't have any personal problem with cabbage. But a very long time ago "chou" (cabbage) used to mean "ass".

That's why we use this comparison when talking about something very simple, easy or obvious. Because even an ass can understand it.

Poetic, isn't it?

How to use

Well, when it comes to using this expression: "C'est bête comme chou !" (It's super easy!).

Simply replace any mention of "It's super easy" or "It's really simple/obvious" by "C'est bête comme chou" and you are done.

N.B: this expression isn't vulgar and actually sounds cute for a French native. Why? Because (almost) nobody knows anymore that "chou" used to mean ass, so everybody thinks it means "cabbage"...

Synonyms

C'est simple comme bonjour. ("It's simple like hello")
C'est enfantin. ("It's childish")
C'est simple comme tout. ("It's as simple as everything")
C'est simple comme Baptiste. ("It's as simple as Baptiste")(French name)
C'est du gâteau. ("It's cake")

Example in a dialogue with French audio

Dialogue

C'est dur d'apprendre le Français ?

Is it hard to learn French?

Non. C'est bête comme chou !

No. It's stupid like cabbage!*

Je commence aujourd'hui alors !

I'm starting right now then!