prostooleh/Envato Elements
Sanble tèt koupe
Meaning
An expression used to emphasize that two people or things look extremely similar.
It describes such a strong resemblance that the people may appear to be twins or exact copies of each other.
Possible Translations: To be the spitting image of; to look exactly alike; to look like twins
Word-for-Word Note: The words tèt and koupe literally mean head and cut. However, sanble tèt koupe should be understood as a complete idiomatic expression.
Example 1
Gadon koze! M te panse Michna ak Delmise te sè wi. Yo sanble tèt koupe!
Wow! I thought Michna and Delmise were sisters. They look so much alike!
Example 2
Tony sanble tèt koupe ak papa l. Si w pa fè atansyon, w ap konfonn youn ak lòt.
Tony is the spitting image of his father. If you're not careful, you'll mistake one for the other.
Expressing a Strong Resemblance
The expression sanble tèt koupe emphasizes a striking resemblance. It is stronger than simply saying that two people sanble, or look alike.
A common sentence structure is:
Yon moun sanble tèt koupe ak yon lòt moun.
This means that one person is the spitting image of another person.
Although the expression is commonly used for relatives, such as children who strongly resemble their parents, it is not limited to family members.
It may also describe unrelated people, animals, objects, plants, or other things that look remarkably similar.
A related expression is sanble kou de gout dlo, which means to resemble each other like two drops of water.
The exact historical origin of sanble tèt koupe is uncertain.