When I was a kid, we considered it the height of hilarity to refer to someone as “four eyes”. In modern terms, we thought this was a “sick burn,” but all it means it that the person wears glasses (spectacles).

Not all that original, I know.

In Romanian, however, saying ochii-n patru means something completely different. Literally translating to “eyes in four,” it’s the exact equivalent of the English phrase “keep your eyes peeled”.

The Romanian version of “four eyes” is clearly far superior, especially because it’s somewhat sensible. It implies (keep your) eyes (looking) in (all) four (directions).

Hyperbolic, but at least it’s logical.

Literally translating the English phrase “keep your eyes peeled” into Romanian, on the other hand, would sound disgusting – ochii decojiti – conjuring up images from a horror movie.

AND NOW YOU KNOW!