![Tête à Toto](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/T%C3%AAte_%C3%A0_Toto.svg)
The tête à Toto is a French typographical design and children's game, well known to French schoolchildren.
It consists of the equation "0+0=0", written with the first two "0"s for eyes, the "+" for a nose, the "=" for a mouth, and the final "0" surrounding, as a stylized face or skull.
It is drawn while reciting:
Translated:
As his head equals zero, it means that his intelligence is null.
The name, or character, of Toto is a common stock character in French culture; he is the generic child used in jokes ("Toto asks his mother..."). See
Blague de Toto (Toto joke).
Other uses
*A
circumlocution
Circumlocution (also called circumduction, circumvolution, periphrasis, kenning, or ambage) is the use of an unnecessarily large number of words to express an idea. It is sometimes necessary in communication (for example, to work around lexical gap ...
for "zero"
*In
prostitution
Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in Sex work, sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, n ...
, slang for a prostitute – or rather, prospective prostitute – who has not had a single client (
i.e., who has had zero clients).
See also
*
Henohenomoheji
''Henohenomoheji'' ( ja, へのへのもへじ ) or ''hehenonomoheji'' () is a face known to be drawn by Japanese schoolchildren using hiragana characters. It became a popular drawing during the Edo period.
The word breaks down into seven hir ...
, similar typographical face in Japanese
*
Mondgesicht, similar typographical face in German, consisting of "Punkt, Punkt, Komma, Strich":
. . , –
References
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La tête à Toto Zéro plus zéro ? La tête à Toto...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tete A Toto
French culture
Typography
Doodling motifs
fr:Blague de Toto#La tête à Toto