Yorkshireman Dec 27, 2013:

Compliment or criticism It can be both a compliment and appreciative criticism.

Til Eulenspiegel is an excellent example of a figure who has it "faustdick hinter den Ohren"

Can also be used to describe a con man (confidence trickster) or grifter (in the criminal/fraudulent sense of the expression.

In the north of England, we would say "By 'eck, tha's a canny lad" or "Tha's a clevver 'un if ivver there was".

Used to appreciate or complement cleverness or being successful against the odds. Also as appreciative criticism of cheating someone out of something in a clever way, or pulling the wool over their eyes - a German example of the latter would be the Hauptmann von Köpenick

Horst Huber (X) Dec 26, 2013:

To my sense, it is a compliment, similar to us Bavarians saying "a Hund is a scho". Or Einstein's "rafffiniert aber nicht boshaft". As adjectives go, I was thinking of "cunning". I can't imaginme there is nothing similar in the cornucopia of English idioms?

David Hollywood Dec 26, 2013:

we really need more Zusammenhang

David Hollywood Dec 26, 2013:

agree with Nicole David

Nicole Schnell Dec 26, 2013:

We need more context because it can be meant as a compliment "You are darn savvy" as well as in a more negative way ("You are a sly old dog").

BTW, it's: "du hast ES faustdick hinter den Ohren"