cold hands, warm heart

proverb

Having cold hands is an indication of warmheartedness; used as a rejoinder if one finds that another's hands are cold.

OriginFrench froides mains, chaudes amours →
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Meanings

proverb
  1. Having cold hands is an indication of warmheartedness; used as a rejoinder if one finds that another's hands are cold.

Origin

  1. Frenchfroides mains, chaudes amours
  2. Englishcold hands, warm heart

A calque translation of French froides mains, chaudes amours.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

French froides mains, chaudes amours
  • froides mains, chaudes amourshaving cold hands is an indication of warmheartedness
German kalte Hand, warmes Herz
  • kalte Hand, warmes Herzhaving cold hands is an indication of warmheartedness
Italian mani fredde, cuore caldo
  • mani fredde, cuore caldohaving cold hands is an indication of warmheartedness
Portuguese mãos frias, coração quente
  • mãos frias, coração quentehaving cold hands is an indication of warmheartedness
Russian холо́дные ру́ки, горя́чее се́рдце
  • холо́дные ру́ки, горя́чее се́рдце (xolódnyje rúki, gorjáčeje sérdce)having cold hands is an indication of warmheartedness
Spanish manos frías, corazón caliente
  • manos frías, corazón calientehaving cold hands is an indication of warmheartedness
Cite this entry
APA

cold hands, warm heart. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cold%20hands%2C%20warm%20heart

MLA

“cold hands, warm heart.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cold%20hands%2C%20warm%20heart. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cold hands, warm heart,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cold%20hands%2C%20warm%20heart.

Source: cold hands, warm heart on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.