The phrase "You're a card"

[Juicyfruity]

Is Aaword that old people use to say you have a unique personality.
ie. Haha, you're such a card.

What is the connection? With the word "card" and "Unique personality'?

[Quizmonster]

The earliest recorded use of card in this sense was in an 1836 work by Dickens in which he referred to someone as "a knowing card". The usage sprang from cards in the sense of playing cards, which had long used such phrases as a sure card, a safe card, a best card and so on.

[Juicyfruity]

Wow thank you quizmonster i thought it was a new phrase.

[scotman]

It is an interesting expression. Cassell's Slang dict gives the usual meaning as dating from mid 19th century.
My favourite is the Maltese Falcon with Sidney Greenstreet to Humphrey Bogart; "You are a card, sir, a card". Greenstreet was one of the best cinema villains ever.

[teresacitgo]

each card has a character on it.. You are such a character..lol You are such a card...lol

[darross]

The Card is a short comedic novel written by Arnold Bennett in 1911 from which comes the statement "What a card!" said one, laughing joyously. "He's a rare 'un, no mistake."

It means someone who is a character or unique, someone who does things differently than most others but whose actions impress and endear them to others.

[darross]

The Card is a short comedic novel written by Arnold Bennett in 1911 from which comes the ending
"What a card!" said one, laughing joyously. "He's a rare 'un, no mistake."

"Of course, this'll make him more popular than ever," said another. "We've never had a man to touch him for that."

"And yet," demanded Councillor Barlow, "what's he done? Has he ever done a day's work in his life? What great cause is he identified with?"

"He's identified," said the speaker, "with the great cause of cheering us all up."
A card is one who does things uniquely and differently yet endures himself in the act of doing it differenlty