on the other paw
- idiom
- Informal
:
por otro lado
- Dogs are great company; on the other paw, they require a lot of care and attention.
Examples
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Kittens can be mischievous, but on the other paw, they're very affectionate when they want to be.
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Cats love to nap all day; on the other paw, dogs need regular exercise.
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My cat sleeps all day; on the other paw, she is up all night playing with toys.
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He enjoys playing fetch; on the other paw, his sister prefers to cuddle.
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Dogs can be loyal companions; on the other paw, they can also be very demanding pets.
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While cats are independent, on the other paw, they can be quite affectionate when they feel like it.
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Fish are low-maintenance pets; on the other paw, dogs require daily walks and playtime.
Synonyms
357
2.8
Shows a different idea from what you said before
95
3.6
To show an opposite idea in a discussion
To add an important opposite point to consider
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a playful variant of the common contrastive phrase 'on the other hand', substituting 'paw' to signal a contrast about animals; a learner who knows the constituent words and the contrastive pattern will likely infer the intended meaning. However, the non-literal, humorous replacement requires recognition of the idiomatic pattern and is not strictly compositional, so the transparency is only partial.
Etymology
On the other paw is a playful twist on 'on the other hand' that imagines an animal using its paw instead of a hand. Imagine a cat lifting the other paw to show a different side, so people say the phrase to give a different point or view in a funny, animal way.