sein blaues Wunder erleben
to be in for a nasty surprise; to get a rude shock
Origin
'Blau' (blue) once figuratively stood for deception and illusion (cf. 'blauer Dunst' or 'to promise the blue of the sky'). A 'blue wonder' is thus an unexpected, usually unpleasant astonishment; the phrase has been current since the 16th/17th century.
Building blocks
Words in this expression
Grammar that uses this word
- Irregular verbs: e → ie (sehen, lesen)Unregelmäßige Verben: e → ie (sehen, lesen)
- Doubled genitive and elevated genitive constructionsDoppelter Genitiv und gehobene Genitivkonstruktionen
Examples
Wenn er die sieht, wird er sein blaues .
When he sees the bill, he's in for a nasty surprise.