fish out of water
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Refers to a person who is in unfamiliar, and often uncomfortable surroundings.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Người ở trong hoàn cảnh lạ lẫm và thường khó chịu
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Sources & notes
Imported from Wikipedia “English-language idioms” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29), pending review.
Common questions
What does “fish out of water” mean?
Refers to a person who is in unfamiliar, and often uncomfortable surroundings.
Is “fish out of water” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.