la bidouille

[miumiu]

Does anyone know what's the meaning of "la bidouille"? Or is the spelling wrong?

 

[williamtmiller]

No, the spelling is good. Bidouiller is a synonym of bricoler so la bidouille would most likely be le bricolage although I must say that I have not seen la bidouille too often.

WT

 

[Lucas]

Bidouille is quite often used in a computers context. It's a computer geek's skill.

 

[Budgie]

Pour les ordinateurs alors, qu'est-ce que ça veut dire? Et comment dire "geek" en français????

 

[Rob625]

I thought une bidouille was a thingumajig or a whatsit, or perhaps a gadget. But maybe I am wrong.

 

[Lucas]

Bidouiller is bricoler. But I don't know how to translate that !

 

[Rob625]

Bricolage is DIY - Do-It-Yourself. And so I suppose bricoler is to do DIY.

 

[GentillyJoe]

Pour les ordinateurs alors, qu'est-ce que ça veut dire? Et comment dire "geek" en français????

On dit << geek >> ;O). Mais dans le sens plus restreint de l'informatique - << geek >> en anglais à des origines pour le moins curieuses et qui n'ont rien à voir avec les ordis.

 

[francoisrl4]

Bidouiller to the broad sense is to grope around/for the solution... trying not by the academical way, but still, you make it at the end.

 

[Kecha]

Great example of how a thread goes in all directions because of the lack of initial context...

"la bidouille" is also commonly used to describe arts and crafts activities, like making your own jewellery or even "life hacks", repurposing, etc.