Are you at a venue trying to fit in with the crowd? If your friend turns to you and tells you to stop trying so hard because you’re acting like a “crow tit,” what do they mean?
This post unpacks everything you need to know about the meaning and origin of this idiomatic expression.
Crow Tit Meaning
The meaning of “crow tit” is a description of someone that doesn’t fit into their environment or surrounding. When crows start their life cycle as fledglings, they have a totally different look from what you expect. The little birds have soft, white feathers, and they look like little balls of fur.
As the bird ages out of infancy, its feathers start to turn to the traditional black color, and their bodies change into the strong look of the crow. As a result, when you’re calling someone a “crow tit,” it means that they don’t look or act like they should, and they don’t meet your expectations.
The phrase can also refer to someone putting on a façade in an attempt to fit in with a group. However, the group noticed this extra effort, and they didn’t accept the person into the conversation, or the conversation started taking an awkward turn when the person spoke.
Crow Tit Example Usage
“Look at that guy over there. He’s standing out like a sore thumb. He looks like a real crow tit, don’t you think?”
“George always tries too hard to fit in when he meets new people, and hem comes off as abrasive. What a crow tit.”
“I didn’t feel comfortable all night with that crowd. No matter how hard I tried, I could get a conversation going. I felt like a real crow tit.”
“Did you see the new guy trying to talk to everyone like he’s known them for years? I get an off vibe from him; he acts like a crow tit.”
Crow Tit Origin
The origin of the phrase “crow tit” comes from South Korea. No one knows the exact date when this phrase appeared or when it entered the Korean language. The term is an adaptation of the old Korean proverb, which translates to the following.
“If a crow tit walks like a stork, it will break its legs.”
The phrase is rather old, and it has a long heritage extending back at least a few hundred years. It’s a common phrase in Korea when people talk about other people who don’t fit into the crowd or look awkward with what they are doing.
The phrase is common among Korean speakers, and it even features in K-pop songs, with the words in the title.
Phrases Similar to Crow Tit
- Something that you’re not.
- Standing out like a sore thumb.
- Inauthentic.
Phrases Opposite to Crow Tit
- A perfect fit.
- To the Tee.
- Fits like a glove.
What is the Correct Saying?
- Crow tit.
- Crows tit.
Ways People May Say Crow Tit Incorrectly
The phrase has nothing to do with crows in its modern reference. You’ll use this phrase to describe how someone fails to fit in with their surroundings or in a group, not as an expression referencing crows. Most people in Europe and the US won’t understand what you’re saying when using this expression, as it has a Korean origin and is not popular in the modern English language.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Crow Tit
You can use the phrase “crow tit” when you’re around Korean people and want to describe how other people don’t seem to fit into the scene or the crowd. The phrase has a Korean origin, and few people understand what it means in the western world. However, if you have Korean friends or Korean ancestry, people you know might understand the term.