"Toi toi toi" () is an expression used in the performing arts to wish an artist success in an imminent performance. It is similar to "

break a leg "Break a leg" is a typical English idiom used in the context of theatre or other performing arts to wish a performer "good luck". An ironic or non-literal saying of uncertain origin (a dead metaphor), "break a leg" is commonly said to actors a ...

" and reflects a

superstition A superstition is any belief or practice considered by non-practitioners to be irrational or supernatural, attributed to fate or magic, perceived supernatural influence, or fear of that which is unknown. It is commonly applied to beliefs and ...

that wishing someone "good luck" is in fact bad luck.

Origin

There are many theories as to the origin of ''Toi toi toi'' as an idiom. In folklore it was used to ward off a spell or hex, often accompanied by

knocking on wood Knocking on wood (also phrased touching wood) is an apotropaic tradition of literally touching, tapping, or knocking on wood, or merely stating that one is doing or intending to do so, in order to avoid "tempting fate" after making a favorable pre ...

or spitting. One origin theory sees "toi toi toi" as the onomatopoeic rendition of spitting three times, a common practice in many parts of the world to ward off evil spirits. Saliva traditionally had demon-banishing powers. Another theory claims the origin to be a threefold warning of the devil (Teufel, pronounced as TOY-fell) in German (n.b. not the French "toi"). Also from

Rotwelsch Rotwelsch (, ''" beggar's foreign (language)"'') or Gaunersprache ( ''" crook's language"'') also Kochemer Loshn (from Yiddish "", "tongue of the wise") is a secret language, a cant or thieves' argot, spoken by groups (primarily marginalized gr ...

''tof'' and from

Yiddish Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ver ...

''tov'' ("good", derived from the Hebrew טוב and with phonetic similarities to the Old German ''tiuvel'' "Devil").

Similar expressions

An alternate operatic good luck charm originating from

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

is the phrase '' In bocca al lupo!'' (In the mouth of the wolf) with the response ''Crepi!'' or ''Crepi il lupo!'' (May it he wolfdie!). Amongst

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

s "

Break a leg "Break a leg" is a typical English idiom used in the context of theatre or other performing arts to wish a performer "good luck". An ironic or non-literal saying of uncertain origin (a dead metaphor), "break a leg" is commonly said to actors a ...

" is the usual phrase, while for professional dancers the traditional saying is ''

merde ''Shit'' is a word considered to be vulgar and profane in Modern English. As a noun, it refers to fecal matter, and as a verb it means to defecate; in the plural ("the shits"), it means diarrhea. ''Shite'' is a common variant in British an ...

'' (French, meaning "shit"). In Spanish, the phrase is ''mucha mierda'', or "lots of shit", as in Portuguese (“muita merda”).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Toi toi toi Theatre Opera terminology Stage terminology Superstitions

Origin

Similar expressions

See also

References