a flor de piel
on the surface, skin-deep; with raw emotions
Advanced Phrase
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Pronunciation
/a floɾ de pjel/
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Cultural Note
This beautiful expression literally means 'at the flower of the skin' and describes emotions that are so close to the surface they're almost visible. It perfectly captures the Spanish cultural tendency toward emotional expressiveness. It's used frequently in literature, music, and everyday conversation to describe raw vulnerability.
📝 Example Sentences
Tiene las emociones a flor de piel.
Her emotions are right on the surface.
Después del funeral, los nervios estaban a flor de piel.
After the funeral, nerves were raw.
Es una persona que vive a flor de piel.
He's a person who wears his heart on his sleeve.