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tópico

cliché

noun TOH-pee-koh Rare

Origin: From Greek topos (place, commonplace).

Also means

topic

Usage Note

Tópico is a significant false friend: in Spanish it most commonly means a cliché or overused idea (es un tópico decir que…), whereas English 'topic' is tema or asunto. In medical Spanish tópico also means 'topical' (applied to the skin): uso tópico, medicamento de uso tópico. Learners who write el tópico de hoy meaning 'today's topic' will be understood as saying 'today's cliché'.

Examples

"Decir que los españoles duermen la siesta es un tópico."

Natural Translation

Saying that Spaniards take a siesta is a cliché.

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