Italian Idiom: Mangiarsi le mani (to kick oneself)

At some point in our lives, we all end up blaming or criticising ourselves for something we have done, or perhaps should have done. In Italian, there is a very suitable idiomatic expression you can use to express this sentiment: mangiarsi le mani.

Italian idiom "mangiarsi le mani"

Mangiarsi le mani literally translates to “to eat one’s hands.” The reflexive mangiarsi is used instead of mangiare because the action is directed toward oneself.

In English, we use a similar, though slightly more self-destructive expression to convey regret: to kick oneself.


A variation of this expression is mordersi le mani, where the verb mordere means to bite, making the literal translation “to bite one’s hands.”


Did you know that…

If you literally eat your hands—or more specifically, your fingernails—you might be suffering from a condition called onicofagia, the act of mangiare/mordere le proprie unghie (nail-biting).

Funny emotive girl with bad habit, biting nails on fingers while looking at camera

Ethics statement: Below you will find affiliate links. If you buy something after clicking the link, we will receive a small commission. To know more about our ethics, you can visit our full disclosure page. Thank you!

Lingopie (affiliate link) is the Netflix of language learning application that uses real TV shows and movies to help you learn a new language. You can choose a show to watch based on your fluency level, and use the interactive subtitles to get instant translations to help you learn quickly.

Are you interested in improving your Italian in a fun and stress-free manner? Then we highly recommend Serena Capilli's short stories in Italian (affiliate link), designed for beginners, advanced beginners, and lower intermediate learners (A1-B1 CEFR). These stories have been optimised for English speakers in search of a fun, laid-back learning experience! Read our full review here.


Leave a Comment