What does the French expression « Chercher midi à quatorze heures » mean?

Are you wondering what the French expression “Chercher midi à 14 heures” means? In this article, we explain its meaning, its origin and how to use it on a daily basis to speak like a native 🗣️. This free French course will allow you to master this expression known in France.

Origin of the expression « Chercher midi à quatorze heures »

Originally, this expression appeared in France in the Middle Ages, in the 16th century to be exact, in the form of “chercher midi à onze heures”. Indeed, the evolution of technology helped in the 17th century, a century later, to transform this expression into “chercher midi à quatorze heures”.

This change, from “onze heures” to “quatorze heures”, is due to clocks which have improved and become more precise. It was then easier to know when the sun was really at its zenith, that is to say when the sun was highest in the sky.

Meaning of the French expression

Using this expression means looking for difficulties where there are none. This describes a tendency to want to complicate a situation that could be approached more simply. We could compare it to other expressions like “se noyer dans un verre d’eau” or “faire une montagne d’un rien”.

How to use it daily?

The expression « chercher midi à quatorze heures » is used in different contexts, notably to remind someone that they are unnecessarily complicating their task. Here are some examples of use:

• « Inutile de chercher midi à quatorze heures, cette solution est la plus simple et la plus efficace. » (“No need to search from noon to two p.m., this solution is the simplest and most effective.”)
• « Pourquoi veux-tu absolument tout organiser différemment ? Ne cherche pas midi à quatorze heures, cette méthode fonctionne très bien. » (« Why do you absolutely want to organize everything differently? Don’t bother trying from noon to two p.m., this method works very well. »)
• « Il passe des heures à analyser chaque détail alors que la réponse est évidente. Il cherche vraiment midi à quatorze heures ! » (« He spends hours analyzing every detail even though the answer is obvious. He’s really looking for noon to two p.m.! »)

It is therefore a colorful way of advising someone not to complicate their lives for nothing.

Summary

The expression « chercher midi à quatorze heures » means to complicate one’s life unnecessarily by bringing difficulties where there are none. Its origins date back to the 16th century and it is still commonly used today to illustrate a tendency to want to overanalyze or overthink. So, the next time you hesitate to keep it simple, remember: inutile de chercher midi à quatorze heures !