What does "Tough Cookie" mean?

Resilient, determined person Strong-willed, handles difficulty.

Tough Cookie

Slang Term AmericanBritishAustralian ★★★★☆ Common Casual

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Meaning: Resilient, determined person

坚韧、有决心的人

Persona resiliente y decidida

粘り強く、決意の固い人

끈기 있고 의지가 강한 사람

Strong-willed, handles difficulty.

意志坚强，能应对困难。

De voluntad fuerte, capaz de manejar dificultades.

意志が強く、困難に立ち向かう。

의지가 강하고 어려움을 잘 이겨내는.

Examples

She's a tough cookie.
她是个很坚强的人
es una persona dura de roer
彼女はタフな人だ
그녀는 만만치 않은 사람이야.

Pronunciation

/tʌf ˈkʊki/

Usage Guide

Context: resilience

Tone: admiring

✓ Do Say

A tough cookie
坚强的人
persona dura de roer
タフな人
만만치 않은 사람

✗ Don't Say

American
美式英语表达
Expresión estadounidense
アメリカ英語の表現
미국식 표현

Common Mistakes

Cookie = person in old slang

Origin & History

American slang—'cookie' was slang for person.

Cultural Context

Era: Early 20th century American

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: American expressions

Regional notes: American origin.

Variations

Tough cookie