She is not rare because she is alone. She is rare because it would take a crowd of other excellent people to match her. This is a more profound compliment than “you’re one of a kind.” It acknowledges that others have value—but only collectively.
In the vast ocean of Italian idioms, proverbs, and colloquial expressions, few have captured the modern imagination quite like the enigmatic phrase: "Per una come lei, ce ne vogliono 106" (For a woman like her, you need 106).
At first glance, it appears to be a simple compliment—a hyperbolic way to say a woman is unique. But why 106? Why not 100, 1,000, or a million? The specificity of the number transforms this phrase from a mere platitude into a cultural cipher, a mathematical metaphor for rarity, excellence, and irreplaceability. per una come lei ce ne voglion 106
This article delves deep into the origins, the mathematical symbolism, the psychological weight, and the modern usage of one of Italy’s most intriguing contemporary compliments.
Some linguists suggest that 106 is a playful inversion of the number 100. In Italian, “centouno” (101) is sometimes used to mean “a little more than a hundred.” But 106 pushes further. It implies that even a perfect 100 is insufficient; you need an extra six units of measure—beauty, intelligence, wit, or grace—just to approach her level. The six represents the je ne sais quoi, the x-factor that cannot be quantified. She is not rare because she is alone
The phrase is most poignantly associated with the memory of Ilaria Alpi, the Italian journalist murdered in Mogadishu in 1994. In the years following her death, as investigations stalled and truths were buried, the number 106 became a symbol of the unresolved questions and the documents missing from the investigation (specifically regarding the infamous "106" telegrams or the timeline of events).
In this context, the phrase takes on a solemn, mournful tone. "For a woman like her"—a woman seeking truth in a war zone, a woman who paid the ultimate price for her profession—"ce ne vogliono 106" suggests that the machinery of justice and history required an immense, complex, and perhaps impossible effort to simply equal her courage. It implies that to match her integrity, the system needed 106 opportunities, 106 documents, or 106 years to reveal the truth she already held. On social media, particularly Italian Twitter (X) and
While the classic form is “Per una come lei, ce ne vogliono 106” (feminine, third person), the phrase is highly adaptable.
On social media, particularly Italian Twitter (X) and TikTok, the phrase has seen a resurgence. It is often used in reaction videos to stunning red-carpet looks, extraordinary athletic feats by female athletes, or even memes about a friend who single-handedly organizes a perfect vacation.
Example tweet: “La mia amica ha risolto il problema dei voli, dell’hotel, e ha anche trovato un ristorante senza glutine. Per una come lei, ce ne vogliono 106.”