Ten a penny Meaning in English
expression
ˈtɛn/ /ˈeɪ/, /ə/ /ˈpɛni
TEN-uh-PEN-ee
tˈɛn/ /æɪ/ /pˈɛni
TEN-uh-PEN-ee
Definition
If something is ten a penny, it is very common and easy to find; not special or valuable.
Usage & Nuances
This is a British English idiom, informal, and often used to downplay the value or uniqueness of something (e.g., 'jobs like that are ten a penny'). Usually negative or dismissive. The American equivalent is 'a dime a dozen.' Not used for rare or positive things.
Spanish: a montones - a patadas - muy comúnPortuguese (BR): aos montes - comum demaisPortuguese (PT): às carradas - banal - vulgarChinese (Simplified): 比比皆是 - 很常见Chinese (Traditional): 比比皆是 - 很常見Hindi: बहुत आम - हर जगह मिलने वालाArabic: منتشر للغاية - كثير الوجودBengali: দু'পয়সার - খুব সাধারণRussian: полным-полно - наваломJapanese: いくらでもある - ありふれているVietnamese: nhiều như lá mùa thu - đầy rẫyKorean: 수두룩하다 - 흔하다Turkish: her köşe başında - sürüsüyleUrdu: ہر جگہ دستیاب - بہت عامIndonesian: banyak sekali - gampang ditemukan
Example Sentences
Cheap souvenirs are ten a penny in this market.
basic
Mobile phone shops are ten a penny nowadays.
basic
Jobs like that are ten a penny here.
basic
Don’t worry, opportunities like that are ten a penny if you keep looking.
natural
Fake designer bags are ten a penny in tourist areas.
natural
He thinks he’s special, but people like him are ten a penny around here.
natural