kopeck

noun koh-PEK Rare

Origin: From Russian kopeika, a small Russian coin.

Usage Note

Kopeck is the name of the hundredth part of a Russian ruble, but in French it is overwhelmingly used in the colloquial expression ne pas avoir un kopeck, meaning 'to be flat broke'. The expression treats the kopeck as the symbol of a negligible amount of money, similar to English 'not have a penny'. It is informal in register.

Examples

"Je n'ai pas un kopeck ce mois-ci."

Natural Translation

I don't have a penny this month.

Literal Translation

I don't have a kopeck this month.

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