Literal translation
he is a wet hen
Meaning
he's a coward, a wet hen
Explanation
This expression, very close to its French equivalent, describes a fearful person, lacking courage or energy in the face of adversity. The literal image is that of a hen whose plumage, once soaked, loses all its volume and clings to the body: the usually lively, bustling animal ends up hunched, motionless, and pitiful, as if crushed by the water. This contrast between the active hen and the drenched one provides an effective metaphor for a person who, normally capable, deflates the moment a difficulty or a risk must be faced. The word bagnado stresses the passive, endured nature of the state, reinforcing the idea that fear is not merely felt but visibly reshapes the person's bearing, as though a soaking had flattened their courage. The register is familiar, cheerfully mocking, used both among friends to tease and in public to jeer at a hesitation or a retreat judged cowardly. The phrase belongs to a stock of animal comparisons shared by many Romance languages.