Literal translation
child of ~ !
Meaning
a mild oath
Explanation
Fan here is a shortened, exclamatory form derived from faire according to the mechanical gloss, though tradition instead reads it as an abbreviated euphemism for enfant, child, with fan de serving as the head of a whole series of mild oaths built as fan de followed by a word whose literal meaning matters little, the sound and the surprise effect being what counts. The expression is used to build exclamations equivalent to good grief or dang it, with traditional completions such as chichourlo, piè, chino, puto, or garço, each giving a different shade without the speaker really examining the completion's literal meaning. In regional French, the corresponding forms fan de chichourle, fan de pié, fan de chine, fan de pute, or fan de garce also circulate, the preposition de being pronounced differently depending on whether one speaks Provençal or regional French. The register is familiar and exclamatory, expressing surprise, annoyance, or admiration depending on tone and context, without amounting to a truly serious insult despite sometimes coarse completions.