chico de oro
/t͡ʃiko de oɾo/from spelling rules
The English phrase golden boy is translated into Spanish as chico de oro.
While chico de oro is a literal translation, it is rarely used idiomatically in Spanish to mean a favored person. Instead, Spanish speakers more commonly use terms like niño mimado (spoiled child) or el preferido (the favorite) depending on the context.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of chico (boy), de (of) and oro (gold).
Which one should you use?
The informal forms Chico maravilla, Chico prodigio and Niño de oro can also be used to express the concept of a Golden Boy.
How do you pronounce it?
/tʃiko de oɾo/
Did you know?
- The word chico in this phrase may have its origins in the Yucatec Maya word chiʼik rather than from Latin.
- While it sounds prestigious, the word chico might descend from the Latin word ciccum, which historically meant an 'insignificant thing' or a 'trifle'.
- The word oro shares a common ancestor with the English word 'aurum', which is the scientific name for gold. This connection is why the chemical symbol for gold is 'Au'.
Examples in context
- Pedro es un chico de oro en el equipo de fútbolPedro is a golden boy on the soccer team.
- ¡Eres un chico maravilla! Siempre sacas las mejores notasYou're a wonder boy! You always get the top grades.
- Él es el chico de oro de la empresa.He is the golden boy of the company.
- El entrenador lo ve como un chico de oro.The coach sees him as a golden boy.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a popular coworker at the office.
- Sofía¿Has visto que el jefe siempre lo ayuda?Have you seen that the boss always helps him?
- JavierSí, es el chico de oro de la oficina.Yes, he is the golden boy of the office.
- SofíaEs un poco molesto, la verdad.It is a bit annoying, to be honest.
- JavierTe entiendo perfectamente.I understand you perfectly.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chico, de, oro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
