English Translation
You’re still green behind the ears.
In US English, I’ve only ever heard “You’re still wet behind the ears.”
You’re still green behind the ears.
In US English, I’ve only ever heard “You’re still wet behind the ears.”
Yeah, this seems like it’s mixing up two unrelated English expressions:
Referring to an inexperienced person as “green” or as a “greenhorn”. This is a reference to a very young plant that is not yet ripe. The implication is that someone is young and/or inexperienced.
Saying that someone is “wet behind the ears”. This refers to newborn farm animals that still have amniotic fluid on them. Again, the implication is that someone is very young and/or inexperienced.
I’ve never heard anyone say “green behind the ears”, but I think the meaning is still clear.
Interestingly, it does in fact appear to be an expression in German: dict.cc | grün hinter den Ohren sein | English Dictionary
Here’s a very detailed exploration of the idiom: