Usage Note
Gifle refers specifically to a slap on the cheek or face, not a general hit. The verb gifler means to slap someone across the face. Figuratively, une gifle can describe a brutal shock or public humiliation — c'est une gifle pour son équipe (it's a slap in the face for his team). A related informal word is claque, which overlaps in meaning.
Examples
"Elle lui a donné une gifle retentissante."
Natural Translation
She gave him a resounding slap.
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