villakoiran ydin

== Finnish == === Etymology === villakoiran (“of a poodle”) ydin (“core, kernel”), calque of German des Pudels Kern; from the play Faust I by Goethe, in which Mephistopheles (the Devil) appears to Faust in the shape of a black poodle. When Faust learns the truth, he comments: Das also war des Pudels Kern! (literally “So, that was the kernel of the poodle!”); translated into English in the play as "So this, then, was the kernel of the brute!"). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈʋilːɑˌkoi̯rɑn ˈydin/, [ˈʋilːɑ̝ˌko̞i̯rɑ̝n ˈydin] === Noun === villakoiran ydin (idiomatic) core of the issue, essence, trick, catch (inherent nature of an idea, especially one that is not apparent) ==== Declension ==== ==== Synonyms ==== asian ydin (literally “core of the issue”)