人生七十古來稀

ㄖㄣˊ ㄕㄥ ㄑㄧ ㄕˊ ㄍㄨˇ ㄌㄞˊ ㄒㄧ

жэньшэн циши гулай си

/ʐən³⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩³⁵ ku²¹⁴⁻²¹ laɪ̯³⁵ ɕi⁵⁵/

/jɐn²¹ sɐŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰɐt̚⁵ sɐp̚² kuː³⁵ lɔːi̯²¹ hei̯⁵⁵/

My debts for ale are commonplace everywhere I go, for a man to live to seventy has always been quite rare.

Du Fu (杜甫), 《曲江二首》其二; translated by Stephen Owen

Jiǔ zhài xúncháng xíng chù yǒu, rénshēng qīshí gǔlái xī.

酒債尋常行處有，人生七十古來稀。

酒债寻常行处有，人生七十古来稀。

it is rare for a person to live to seventy


طلع تاكل الكرموس، نزل شكون قالها ليك

head

طلع تاكل الكرموس، نزل شكون قالها ليك • (ṭlaʕ tākul el-karmūs, nzal škūn qālha līk)

ṭlaʕ tākul el-karmūs (romanization)
nzal škūn qālha līk (romanization)

/tˤlaʕ taː.ku.l‿ɪl.kar.muːs nzal ʃkuːn qaːl.ha liːk/

Literally: “come on up to eat figs. go back down, who told you [to do] that?”

Used when someone tells someone else to do something and then criticises them for it (because they changed their mind in the meantime, etc.).

en-طلع_تاكل_الكرموس،_نزل_شكون_قالها_ليك-ary-proverb--s0V0aKr

طلع تاكل الكرموس، نزل شكون قالها لك

ṭlaʕ tākul el-karmūs, nzal škūn qālha lek


sağlam bədəndə sağlam ruh olar

Sağlam bədəndə sağlam ruh olar. (canonical)

LL-Q9292 (aze)-Azerbaijani audiorecordings-sağlam bədəndə sağlam ruh olar.wav

Ultimately from Latin mens sana in corpore sano.


出る杭は打たれる

ja-pos

でる くい は うたれる

出(で)る杭(くい)は打(う)たれる • (deru kui wa utareru)

出る杭は打たれる (canonical)
deru kui wa utareru (romanization)

出る釘は打たれる 出る釘は打たれる#Japanese

(idiomatic) Alternative form of 出る釘は打たれる (deru kugi wa utareru, “the nail that sticks out gets hammered down”)


勤有功，戲無益

ㄑㄧㄣˊ ㄧㄡˇ ㄍㄨㄥ

/t͡ɕʰin³⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ kʊŋ⁵⁵ ɕi⁵¹ u³⁵ i⁵¹/

/kʰɐn²¹ jɐu̯¹³ kʊŋ⁵⁵ hei̯³³ mou̯²¹ jɪk̚⁵/

Diligence has its reward; play has no advantages. Oh, be on your guard, and put forth your strength.

Three Character Classic, circa 13ᵗʰ century CE

Qín yǒu gōng, xì wúyì. Jiè zhī zāi, yí miǎnlì.

勤有功，戲無益。戒之哉，宜勉力。

勤有功，戏无益。戒之哉，宜勉力。

diligence has its reward while play has no benefit


好奇害死貓

ㄏㄠˋ ㄑㄧˊ ㄏㄞˋ ㄙˇ ㄇㄠ

хаоци хайсы мао

/xɑʊ̯⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ xaɪ̯⁵¹ sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ mɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

/hou̯³³ kʰei̯²¹ hɔːi̯²² sei̯³⁵ maːu̯⁵⁵/

/hou̯³³ kʰei̯²¹ hɔːi̯²² sei̯³⁵ maːu̯⁵⁵/

Calque of English curiosity killed the cat.

calque

curiosity killed the cat
curiosity killed the cat


a la tercera va la vencida

third time's a charm
third time's a charm


fr-proverb

si la montagne ne va pas à toi, va à la montagne

/si la mɔ̃.taɲ nə va pa.z‿a twa | va a la mɔ̃.taɲ/

/si la mɔ̃.taɲ nə va pɑ.z‿a twa | va a la mɔ̃.taɲ/

if the mountain won't come to Muhammad
if the mountain won't come to Muhammad


rossz pénz nem vész el

a bad penny always turns up
a bad penny always turns up

a bad penny always turns up (a person or thing which is unpleasant, dishonorable, or unwanted tends to appear)


前車覆，後車戒

the carts to come should be alerted by the overturned cart ahead

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰɤ⁵⁵ fu⁵¹⁻⁵³ xoʊ̯⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɤ⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵¹/

цянь цзюй фу

хоу цзюй цзе

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn³⁵ t͡ɕy⁵⁵ fu⁵¹⁻⁵³ xoʊ̯⁵¹ t͡ɕy⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵¹/

/t͡sʰiːn²¹ kɵy̯⁵⁵ fʊk̚⁵ hɐu̯²² kɵy̯⁵⁵ kaːi̯³³/

previous experience of failure can serve as a lesson for oneself or others


en-proverb

you don't miss the water till the well runs dry

you never miss the water till the well runs dry#English

Alternative form of you never miss the water till the well runs dry


you never miss the water till the well runs dry

take things for granted
take for granted

People tend to take things for granted that are easily available.

asiaa ei osaa arvostaa ennen kuin sen menettää

cow neva know di use a 'im tail till 'im lose it

you never miss the water until the well runs dry


tiden læger alle sår

time heals all wounds
time heals all wounds


attack is the best form of defense

attack is the best form of defence#English

Alternative spelling of attack is the best form of defence


the cow knows not the worth of its tail till it loses it

Calque of Jamaican Creole cow neva know di use a 'im tail till 'im lose it.

calque

Synonym of you never miss the water till the well runs dry


home morto non fala

Literally, “[a] dead man does not speak”. Attested since circa 1750, as the name of an inn.

lit

El pirata permaneció callado durante el tiempo que el cocinero estuvo hablando; y al concluir de contar el suceso con todos sus pormenores, se llevó con furia la mano derecha á la boca, dándose en ella un fuerte mordisco, hasta hacer brotar la sangre, esclamando:—«Home morto non fala.» En vista de tan incomprensible rasgo de ferocidad, el presidente le amonestó indignado; mas el gallego, sin inmutarse, replicó que trataba de vengar en su mano la generosidad de no haberle dado muerte.
The pirate stood in silence while the cook was speaking; and when the later ended telling the incident with every little detail, he furiously took his right hand to the mouth, giving it a strong bite till the blood flew out, exclaiming: «Dead men tell no tales.» Because of such an incompressible show of ferocity, the president admonished him with indignation, but the Galician, undaunted, replied that he was trying to avenge in his own hand the generosity of not having killed the cook before.

1867, Alejandro Benisia, El milano de los mares: novela marítima original [in Spanish], page 268

dead men tell no tales
dead men tell no tales


ondank is 's werelds loon

Literally, “ingratitude is the reward of the world”. Compare German Undank ist der Welten Lohn.

lit

one often receives ingratitude or no recognition for one's accomplishments


enhver er sin egen lykkes smed

everyone has primary responsibility for their own happiness


don't get above your raising

(Southern US) Do not act in a manner not in keeping with the way you were brought up.


四海之內皆兄弟

ㄙˋ ㄏㄞˇ ㄓ ㄋㄟˋ ㄐㄧㄝ ㄒㄩㄥ ㄉㄧˋ

сыхай чжи нэй цзе сюнди

/sz̩⁵¹ xaɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ neɪ̯⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵ ɕi̯ʊŋ⁵⁵ ti⁵¹/

/sei̯³³ hɔːi̯³⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵ nɔːi̯²² kaːi̯⁵⁵ hɪŋ⁵⁵ tɐi̯²²/

Zixia said to him, "There is the following saying which I have heard - 'Death and life have their determined appointment; riches and honors depend upon Heaven.' Let the superior man never fail reverentially to order his own conduct, and let him be respectful to others and observant of propriety - then all within the four seas will be his brothers. What has the superior man to do with being distressed because he has no brothers?"

The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Zǐxià yuē: “Shāng wén zhī yǐ: ‘Sǐshēng yǒu mìng, fùguì zài tiān’. Jūnzǐ jìng ér wú shī, yǔ rén gōng ér yǒulǐ, sìhǎi zhī nèi, jiē xiōngdì yě, jūnzǐ hé huàn hū wú xiōngdì yě!”

子夏曰：「商聞之矣：『死生有命，富貴在天』。君子敬而無失，與人恭而有禮，四海之內，皆兄弟也，君子何患乎無兄弟也！」

子夏曰：「商闻之矣：『死生有命，富贵在天』。君子敬而无失，与人恭而有礼，四海之内，皆兄弟也，君子何患乎无兄弟也！」

Lu Da said: "Squire, you've been treating this drunkard so well. How can I repay you?" Squire Zhao answered: "Within the four seas, all men are brothers. Why mention repayment?"

Shi Nai'an, Water Margin, circa 14ᵗʰ century CE

Lǔ Dá dào: “Yuánwài cuò'ài jiǔjiā, rúhé bàodá?” Zhào yuánwài biàn dào: “‘sìhǎizhīnèijiēxiōngdì yě.’ Rúhé yán bàodá zhī shì?”

魯達道：「員外錯愛酒家，如何報答？」趙員外便道：「『四海之內皆兄弟也。』如何言報答之事？」

鲁达道：「员外错爱酒家，如何报答？」赵员外便道：「『四海之内皆兄弟也。』如何言报答之事？」


天網恢恢，疏而不漏

desc

天網恢恢疎にして漏らさず

→ Japanese: 天網恢恢疎にして漏らさず (tenmō kaikai so ni shite morasazu) (calque)

→ Vietnamese: lưới trời lồng lộng, tuy thưa mà khó thoát (calque)

ㄊㄧㄢ ㄨㄤˇ ㄏㄨㄟ ㄏㄨㄟ

ㄕㄨ ㄦˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄌㄡˋ

тяньванхуэйхуэй

/tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ wɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ xu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ xu̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ ʂu⁵⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ loʊ̯⁵¹/

/tʰiːn⁵⁵ mɔːŋ¹³ fuːi̯⁵⁵ fuːi̯⁵⁵ sɔː⁵⁵ jiː²¹ pɐt̚⁵ lɐu̯²²/

From the 73ʳᵈ chapter of the Tao Te Ching

The Tao of Nature, does not contend, yet easily wins, does not speak, yet always responds, does not summon, yet all things gather, does not contemplate as if at ease, yet all plans were devised perfectly. The law of nature is like a giant web, although sparsely meshed, nothing could slip through.

Tiān zhī dào, bù zhēng ér shàn shèng, bù yìng ér shàn yìng, bù zhào ér zì lái, chánrán ér shàn móu. Tiānwǎnghuīhuī, shū ér bù shī.

天之道，不爭而善勝，不應而善應，不召而自來，繟然而善謀。天網恢恢，疏而不失。

天之道，不争而善胜，不应而善应，不召而自来，𦈎然而善谋。天网恢恢，疏而不失。

Thelaw of nature is like a giant web, although sparsely meshed, nothing could slip through.

lawbreakers will always be arrested and punished


射人先射馬，擒賊先擒王

shè rén xiān shè mǎ, qín zéi xiān qín wáng

ㄕㄜˋ ㄖㄣˊ ㄒㄧㄢ ㄕㄜˋ ㄇㄚˇ

ㄑㄧㄣˊ ㄗㄟˊ ㄒㄧㄢ ㄑㄧㄣˊ ㄨㄤˊ

shè rén sian shè mǎ, cín zéi sian cín wáng

shê⁴ jên² hsien¹ shê⁴ ma³, chʻin² tsei² hsien¹ chʻin² wang²

shè rén syān shè mǎ-, chín dzéi syān chín wáng

sheh ren shian sheh maa, chyn tzeir shian chyn wang

шэ жэнь сянь шэ ма

цинь цзэй сянь цинь ван

šɛ žɛnʹ sjanʹ šɛ ma

/ʂɤ⁵¹ ʐən³⁵ ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʂɤ⁵¹ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰin³⁵ t͡seɪ̯³⁵ ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰin³⁵ wɑŋ³⁵/

A line from the poem 《前出塞·其六》 by the Tang Dynasty poet Du Fu.

Toshoot a rider, first shoot the horse; to catch a thief, first capture the king

defeat the enemy by capturing their chief


桜伐る馬鹿梅伐らぬ馬鹿

ja-pos

さくら きる ばか うめ きらぬ ばか

桜(さくら)伐(き)る馬(ば)鹿(か)梅(うめ)伐(き)らぬ馬(ば)鹿(か) • (sakura kiru baka ume kiranu baka)

桜伐る馬鹿梅伐らぬ馬鹿 (canonical)
sakura kiru baka ume kiranu baka (romanization)

Literally “it is stupid to prune a cherry blossom tree and stupid not to prune a plum blossom tree.”

Cherry trees should not be pruned, but plum trees should. Although they may look similar upon first glance, each type of tree requires its own care procedures.


蓬生麻中，不扶而直

ㄆㄥˊ ㄕㄥ ㄇㄚˊ ㄓㄨㄥ

ㄅㄨˋ ㄈㄨˊ ㄦˊ ㄓˊ

pung⁴ sang¹ maa⁴ zung¹, bat¹ fu⁴ ji⁴ zik⁶

pʻêng² shêng¹ ma² chung¹, pu⁴ fu² êrh² chih²

пэн шэн ма чжун

бу фу эр чжи

/pʰɤŋ³⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵ mä³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ fu³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩³⁵/

pung⁴ sang¹ maa⁴ dzung¹, bat⁷ fu⁴ ji⁴ dzik⁹

pung⁴ seng¹ ma⁴ zung¹, bed¹ fu⁴ yi⁴ jig⁶

/pʰʊŋ²¹ sɐŋ⁵⁵ maː²¹ t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ fuː²¹ jiː²¹ t͡sɪk̚²/

Likewise, when the peng vine grows among hemp plants, it goes up straight without being stood upright. When white sand is put into black mud, it also becomes black.

Péng shēng má zhōng, bù fú ér zhí; báishā zài niè, yǔ zhī jù hēi.

蓬生麻中，不扶而直；白沙在涅，與之俱黑。

蓬生麻中，不扶而直；白沙在涅，与之俱黑。

one can become a good person by being in a good environment


德不孤，必有鄰

desc

덕불고 필유린(德不孤，必有鄰)

→ Korean: 덕불고 필유린(德不孤，必有鄰)

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (德不孤，必有鄰):
* → Korean: 덕불고 필유린(德不孤，必有鄰)
* → Vietnamese: đức bất cô, tất hữu lân (德不孤，必有鄰)

desc

→ Japanese: 徳は孤ならず必ず隣あり (toku wa ko narazu kanarazu tonari ari) (calque)

ㄅㄧˋ ㄧㄡˇ ㄌㄧㄣˊ

/tɤ³⁵ pu⁵¹ ku⁵⁵ pi⁵¹ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ lin³⁵/

/tɐk̚⁵ pɐt̚⁵ kuː⁵⁵ piːt̚⁵ jɐu̯¹³ lɵn²¹/

/tɤ³⁵ pu⁵¹ ku⁵⁵ pi⁵¹ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ lin³⁵/

/tɐk̚⁵ pɐt̚⁵ kuː⁵⁵ piːt̚⁵ jɐu̯¹³ lɵn²¹/

The Master said, "Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors."

子曰：「德不孤，必有鄰。」

子曰：「德不孤，必有邻。」

a virtuous person is never solitary but always has companions


鶴は千年亀は万年

ja-pos

つる は せんねん かめ は まんねん

鶴(つる)は千(せん)年(ねん)亀(かめ)は万(まん)年(ねん) • (tsuru wa sennen kame wa mannen)

鶴は千年亀は万年 (canonical)
tsuru wa sennen kame wa mannen (romanization)

Literally “a crane lives for a thousand years, a tortoise ten thousand years”.
The first part of the proverb, tsuru wa sennen, is an allusion to a passage in the Huainanzi, a calque of Literary Chinese 鶴壽千歲.


tout est bon dans le cochon

LL-Q150 (fra)-LoquaxFR-tout est bon dans le cochon.wav

(informal) waste not, want not; everything has its use, nothing is wasted; nothing should go to waste


君子交絕，不出惡聲

ㄐㄩㄣ ㄗˇ ㄐㄧㄠ ㄐㄩㄝˊ

ㄅㄨˋ ㄔㄨ ㄜˋ ㄕㄥ

gwan¹ zi² gaau¹ zyut⁶, bat¹ ceot¹ ok³ sing¹

цзюньцзыцзяоцзюэ

/t͡ɕyn⁵⁵ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕy̯ɛ³⁵ pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ ˀɤ⁵¹ ʂɤŋ⁵⁵/

gwan¹ dzi² gaau¹ dzyt⁹, bat⁷ tsoet⁷ ok⁸ sing¹

guen¹ ji² gao¹ jud⁶, bed¹ cêd¹ og³ xing¹

/kʷɐn⁵⁵ t͡siː³⁵ kaːu̯⁵⁵ t͡syːt̚² pɐt̚⁵ t͡sʰɵt̚⁵ ɔːk̚³ sɪŋ⁵⁵/

I heard ancient junzi, even when severing ties, do not speak badly of one another; loyal ministers, even when resigning and leaving, do not clear themselves of bad reputation.

Zhanguo Ce, circa 5ᵗʰ – 3ʳᵈ centuries BCE

Chén wén gǔ zhī jūnzǐ, jiāojué bù chū è shēng; zhōngchén zhī qù yě, bù jié qí míng.

臣聞古之君子，交絕不出惡聲；忠臣之去也，不潔其名。

臣闻古之君子，交绝不出恶声；忠臣之去也，不洁其名。

when men of virtue end their friendship, they do not make malicious remarks on one another


head

när katten är borta dansar råttorna på bordet

när katten är borta, dansar råttorna på bordet#Swedish

Alternative spelling of när katten är borta, dansar råttorna på bordet


u društvu se i kaluđer ženi

у друштву се и калуђер жени (Cyrillic)

Literally: "in other's company, even the monk gets married"

when in Rome, do as the Romans do
when in Rome, do as the Romans do


у друштву се и калуђер жени

у друштву се и калуђер жени

у друштву се и калуђер жени

u društvu se i kaluđer ženi (romanization)

en-у_друштву_се_и_калуђер_жени-sh-proverb-UfUcR~4d


fr-proverb

il n’est pire aveugle que celui qui ne veut pas voir

il n'est pire aveugle que celui qui ne veut pas voir

/il n‿ɛ piʁ a.vœ.ɡlə k(ə) sə.lɥi ki n(ə) vø pa vwaʁ/

/il n‿ɛ piʁ a.vœ.ɡlə k(ə) sə.lɥi ki n(ə) vø pɑ vwaʁ/

there are none so blind as those who will not see

il n'est pire sourd que celui qui ne veut pas entendre

il n’est pire aveugle que celui qui ne veut voir


en-proverb

snitches get stitches and end up in ditches

snitches get stitches
snitches get stitches#English


l'union fait la force

many hands make light work
many hands make light work

united we stand, divided we fall
united we stand, divided we fall

there is strength in numbers
there is strength in numbers

many hands make light work; united we stand, divided we fall; there is strength in numbers


兼聽則明，偏聽則蔽

ㄐㄧㄢ ㄊㄧㄥ ㄗㄜˊ ㄇㄧㄥˊ

ㄆㄧㄢ ㄊㄧㄥ ㄗㄜˊ ㄅㄧˋ

цзяньтин цзэ мин

пяньтин цзэ би

/t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ tʰiŋ⁵⁵ t͡sɤ³⁵ miŋ³⁵ pʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ tʰiŋ⁵⁵ t͡sɤ³⁵ pi⁵¹/

Listen to both sides and you will be enlightened, heed only one side and you will be benighted.


真理越辯越明

ㄓㄣ ㄌㄧˇ ㄩㄝˋ ㄅㄧㄢˋ ㄩㄝˋ ㄇㄧㄥˊ

чжэньли юэбяньюэмин

/ʈ͡ʂən⁵⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɥɛ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɥɛ⁵¹ miŋ³⁵/

/t͡sɐn⁵⁵ lei̯¹³ jyːt̚² piːn²² jyːt̚² mɪŋ²¹/

the more the truth is debated, the clearer the truth becomes


head

there's none so blind as those who will not see

there are none so blind as those who will not see#English

Alternative form of there are none so blind as those who will not see


fr-proverb

il n’est pire sourd que celui qui ne veut pas entendre

/il n‿ɛ piʁ suʁ kə sə.lɥi ki n(ə) vø pa ɑ̃.tɑ̃dʁ/

/il n‿ɛ piʁ suʁ kə sə.lɥi ki n(ə) vø pɑ ɑ̃.tɑ̃dʁ/

there are none so deaf as those who will not hear

il n’est pire sourd que celui qui ne veut entendre


/de ɡu e de ku.lœʁ | ɔ̃ n(ə) dis.kyt pa/

/de ɡu e de ku.lœʁ | ɔ̃ n(ə) dis.kyt pɑ/

/de ɡu.z‿e de ku.lœʁ | ɔ̃ n(ə) dis.kyt pa/

/de ɡu.z‿e de ku.lœʁ | ɔ̃ n(ə) dis.kyt pɑ/

LL-Q150 (fra)-LoquaxFR-des goûts et des couleurs, on ne discute pas.wav

Calque of Latin de gustibus et coloribus non est disputandum.

clq

there's no accounting for taste
there's no accounting for taste


揀啊揀，揀著一個賣龍眼

拣啊拣，拣着一个卖龙眼
揀啊揀，揀著一个賣龍眼

choose and choose, choose one that sells longan

(Southern Min) be too choosy and you'll choose the worst


三軍未動，糧草先行

ㄙㄢ ㄐㄩㄣ ㄨㄟˋ ㄉㄨㄥˋ

ㄌㄧㄤˊ ㄘㄠˇ ㄒㄧㄢ ㄒㄧㄥˊ

saam¹ gwan¹ mei⁶ dong⁶, loeng⁴ cou² sin¹ hang⁴

саньцзюньвэйдун

лянцаосяньсин

/sän⁵⁵ t͡ɕyn⁵⁵ weɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ tʊŋ⁵¹ li̯ɑŋ³⁵ t͡sʰɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ɕiŋ³⁵/

sāam gwān meih dohng, lèuhng chóu sīn hàhng

saam¹ gwan¹ mei⁶ dong⁶, loeng⁴ tsou² sin¹ hang⁴

sam¹ guen¹ méi⁶ dong⁶, lêng⁴ cou² xin¹ heng⁴

/saːm⁵⁵ kʷɐn⁵⁵ mei̯²² tɔːŋ²² lœːŋ²¹ t͡sʰou̯³⁵ siːn⁵⁵ hɐŋ²¹/

三軍未發，糧草先行 三軍未發，糧草先行#Chinese

三军未发，粮草先行 三军未发，粮草先行#Chinese

Synonym of 三軍未發，糧草先行／三军未发，粮草先行 (sānjūnwèifā, liángcǎoxiānxíng)


legjobb orvos az idő

legjobb (“best”) + orvos (“doctor, healer”) + az (“the”) + idő (“time”)

affix

time is the best healer (mental and emotional pain will be healed over time)


三軍未發，糧草先行

the rations move first before three armies are dispatched

ㄙㄢ ㄐㄩㄣ ㄨㄟˋ ㄈㄚ

ㄌㄧㄤˊ ㄘㄠˇ ㄒㄧㄢ ㄒㄧㄥˊ

saam¹ gwan¹ mei⁶ faat³, loeng⁴ cou² sin¹ hang⁴

саньцзюньвэйфа

лянцаосяньсин

/sän⁵⁵ t͡ɕyn⁵⁵ weɪ̯⁵¹ fä⁵⁵ li̯ɑŋ³⁵ t͡sʰɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ɕiŋ³⁵/

sāam gwān meih faat, lèuhng chóu sīn hàhng

saam¹ gwan¹ mei⁶ faat⁸, loeng⁴ tsou² sin¹ hang⁴

sam¹ guen¹ méi⁶ fad³, lêng⁴ cou² xin¹ heng⁴

/saːm⁵⁵ kʷɐn⁵⁵ mei̯²² faːt̚³ lœːŋ²¹ t͡sʰou̯³⁵ siːn⁵⁵ hɐŋ²¹/

(figuratively) one has to make preparations being doing something


quand on veut, on peut

/kɑ̃.t‿ɔ̃ vø | ɔ̃ pø/

where there's a will, there's a way
where there's a will, there's a way


skæg for sig og snot for sig

(politics) express a wish to separate less and more important subjects


成者王侯敗者寇

ㄔㄥˊ ㄓㄜˇ ㄨㄤˊ ㄏㄡˊ ㄅㄞˋ ㄓㄜˇ ㄎㄡˋ

чэн чжэ ванхоу бай чжэ коу

/ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ wɑŋ³⁵ xoʊ̯³⁵ paɪ̯⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ kʰoʊ̯⁵¹/

成者為王，敗者為寇 成者為王，敗者為寇#Chinese

成者为王，败者为寇 成者为王，败者为寇#Chinese

Alternative form of 成者為王，敗者為寇／成者为王，败者为寇 (chéng zhě wéi wáng, bài zhě wéi kòu)


成王敗寇

ㄔㄥˊ ㄨㄤˊ ㄅㄞˋ ㄎㄡˋ

чэнванбайкоу

/ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ wɑŋ³⁵ paɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ kʰoʊ̯⁵¹/

/sɪŋ²¹ wɔːŋ²¹ paːi̯²² kʰɐu̯³³/

/ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵ wɑŋ³⁵ paɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ kʰoʊ̯⁵¹/

/sɪŋ²¹ wɔːŋ²¹ paːi̯²² kʰɐu̯³³/

成者為王，敗者為寇 成者為王，敗者為寇#Chinese

成者为王，败者为寇 成者为王，败者为寇#Chinese

Synonym of 成者為王，敗者為寇／成者为王，败者为寇 (chéng zhě wéi wáng, bài zhě wéi kòu)


mi o vuku a vuk na vrata

sh-proverb

mi o vuku a vuk na vrata (Cyrillic spelling ми о вуку а вук на врата)

ми о вуку а вук на врата (Cyrillic)

Literally, “we(’re talking) about the wolf and the wolf is at the door”, with the verb implied but left unexpressed.

speak of the devil and he shall appear
speak of the devil and he shall appear


l'espoir fait vivre

tant qu’il y a de la vie, il y a de l’espoir


le client est roi

the customer is always right
the customer is always right


добро тому врать, кто за морем бывал

head

добро́ тому́ врать, кто за́ морем быва́л • (dobró tomú vratʹ, kto zá morem byvál)

добро́ тому́ врать (canonical)
кто за́ морем быва́л (canonical)
dobró tomú vratʹ (romanization)
kto zá morem byvál (romanization)

[dɐˈbro tɐˈmu vratʲ | kto ˈza mərʲɪm bɨˈvaɫ]

long ways, long lies
long ways, long lies

en-добро_тому_врать,_кто_за_морем_бывал-ru-proverb-Q9uOS1-H


一圖勝千言

ㄧ ㄊㄨˊ ㄕㄥˋ ㄑㄧㄢ ㄧㄢˊ

итушэнцяньянь

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ tʰu³⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ jɛn³⁵/

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ tʰu³⁵ ʂɤŋ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ jɛn³⁵/

a picture is worth a thousand words
a picture is worth a thousand words


Eile mit Weile

/ˈaɪ̯lə mɪt ˈvaɪ̯lə/

Er ritt fort, aber nicht lange, so fieng das Pferd zu hinken an. Es hinkte nicht lange, so fieng es an zu stolpern, und es stolperte nicht lange, so fiel es nieder, und brach ein Bein. Der Kaufmann mußte das Pferd liegen lassen, den Mantelsack abschnallen, auf die Schulter nehmen, und zu Fuß nach Haus zu gehen, wo er erst spät in der Nacht anlangte. „An allem Unglück,“ sprach er zu sich selbst, „ist der verwünschte Nagel Schuld.“ Eile mit Weile.

1843, Brothers Grimm, “Der Nagel”, in Kinder- und Haus-Märchen, Band 2^(https://de.wikisource.org/wiki/Der_Nagel_(1843)), 5th edition, pages 439–440:


弱國無外交

ㄖㄨㄛˋ ㄍㄨㄛˊ ㄨˊ ㄨㄞˋ ㄐㄧㄠ

жого у вайцзяо

/ʐu̯ɔ⁵¹ ku̯ɔ³⁵ u³⁵ waɪ̯⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

/jœːk̚² kʷɔːk̚³ mou̯²¹ ŋɔːi̯²² kaːu̯⁵⁵/

/ʐu̯ɔ⁵¹ ku̯ɔ³⁵ u³⁵ waɪ̯⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

/jœːk̚² kʷɔːk̚³ mou̯²¹ ŋɔːi̯²² kaːu̯⁵⁵/

weak countries are diplomatically underprivileged


en-proverb

Remember, the family that prays together stays together. Start with routine prayer, like saying a blessing at each meal.

2007, Clyde A. Bonar, Amen, I Say to You:

One does not have to read far into any Christian text on prayer to find the affirmation, “The family that prays together stays together.” Stanley Hauerwas questions the appropriateness of this aphorism, pointing out how an overemphasis on family stability can displace the fundamental role of the church and misconstrue the point of prayer.

2010, Julie Hanlon Rubio, Family Ethics: Practices for Christians, page 214:

They will get misty eyed and tell you that they believe families should worship together; after all, “the family that prays together stays together.”

2011, Calvin Miller, Letters to a Young Pastor:

Captured by the adage “the family that prays together stays together”— individuals in the United States feel that shared religious beliefs are a glue that strengthen familial bonds and deepen love between relatives.

2014, Melanie E. Brewster, Atheists in America, page 137:

Shared religious observance strengthens family stability.


寧賣祖宗田，不忘祖宗言

rather sell the farmland of your ancestors, than forget their language

ㄋㄧㄥˋ ㄇㄞˋ ㄗㄨˇ ㄗㄨㄥ ㄊㄧㄢˊ

ㄅㄨˋ ㄨㄤˋ ㄗㄨˇ ㄗㄨㄥ ㄧㄢˊ

ning⁴ maai⁶ zou² zung¹ tin⁴, bat¹ mong⁴ zou² zung¹ jin⁴

bùwàng zǔzōng yán [Phonetic:nìng mài zǔzōng tián

нин май цзуцзун тянь

буван цзуцзун янь

/niŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ maɪ̯⁵¹ t͡su²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵ tʰi̯ɛn³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ wɑŋ⁵¹ t͡su²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵ jɛn³⁵/

nìhng maaih jóu jūng tìhn, bāt mòhng jóu jūng yìhn

ning⁴ maai⁶ dzou² dzung¹ tin⁴, bat⁷ mong⁴ dzou² dzung¹ jin⁴

ning⁴ mai⁶ zou² zung¹ tin⁴, bed¹ mong⁴ zou² zung¹ yin⁴

/nɪŋ²¹ maːi̯²² t͡sou̯³⁵ t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵ tʰiːn²¹ pɐt̚⁵ mɔːŋ²¹ t͡sou̯³⁵ t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵ jiːn²¹/

nen² mai⁴ zu³ zung¹ tian², bud⁵ mong⁴ zu³ zung¹ ngian²

/nen¹¹ mai̯⁵⁵ t͡su³¹ t͡suŋ²⁴ tʰi̯en¹¹ put̚² moŋ⁵⁵ t͡su³¹ t͡suŋ²⁴ ŋi̯en¹¹/

/nen¹¹ mai̯⁵⁵ t͡su³¹ t͡suŋ²⁴ tʰi̯en¹¹ put̚² moŋ⁵⁵ t͡su³¹ t͡suŋ²⁴ ŋi̯an¹¹/

do not forget the Hakka language and one's roots


棒下出孝子

ㄅㄤˋ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄔㄨ ㄒㄧㄠˋ ㄗˇ

бан ся чу сяоцзы

/pɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

spare the rod and spoil the child
spare the rod and spoil the child


棍棒底下出孝子

ㄍㄨㄣˋ ㄅㄤˋ ㄉㄧˇ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄔㄨ ㄒㄧㄠˋ ㄗˇ

гуньбан дися чу сяоцзы

/ku̯ən⁵¹⁻⁵³ pɑŋ⁵¹ ti²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/


棍棒之下出孝子

ㄍㄨㄣˋ ㄅㄤˋ ㄓ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄔㄨ ㄒㄧㄠˋ ㄗˇ

kun⁴-pang⁴ chih¹ hsia⁴ chʻu¹ hsiao⁴-tzŭ³

гуньбан чжи ся чу сяоцзы

/ku̯ən⁵¹⁻⁵³ pɑŋ⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/


春天後母面，欲變一時間

/t͡sʰun⁴⁴⁻³³ tʰĩ⁴⁴ au³³⁻²¹ bu⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ bin³³ be(ʔ)³²⁻⁴¹ piɛn²¹ t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² si²³⁻³³ kan⁴⁴/

(Southern Min) weather in the spring is unpredictable


細漢偷挽匏，大漢偷牽牛

stealthily picking calabashes when one is a child, stealthily leading cows when one is grown up

/sue²¹⁻⁵³ han²¹ tʰau⁴⁴⁻²² ban⁵³⁻⁴⁴ pu²⁴ tua²²⁻²¹ han²¹ tʰau⁴⁴⁻²² kʰan⁴⁴⁻²² ɡu²⁴/

/sue⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ han⁴¹ tʰau³³ ban⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ pu²⁴ tua⁴¹⁻²² han⁴¹ tʰau³³ kʰan³³ ɡu²⁴/

/se²¹⁻⁵³ han²¹ tʰau⁴⁴⁻²² ban⁵³⁻⁴⁴ pu¹³ tua²²⁻²¹ han²¹ tʰau⁴⁴⁻²² kʰan⁴⁴⁻²² ɡu¹³/

/se²¹⁻⁴¹ han²¹ tʰau⁴⁴⁻³³ ban⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ pu²³ tua³³⁻²¹ han²¹ tʰau⁴⁴⁻³³ kʰan⁴⁴⁻³³ ɡu²³/

(Hokkien) One who commits small wrongs at a young age, if left uncorrected, will continue to commit crimes that are more serious.


From the use of mercury compounds in the treatment of venereal diseases before the discovery of antibiotics.

An eminent physiologist, in the bad old days when Salvarsan and certain other Hg compounds were the only known remedy for venereal diseases, is said to have warned his students that 'One night with Venus may mean a lifetime with Mercury'.

1976, Jenifer M. Baker, Marine ecology and oil pollution, page 13:

Vincent had opted for the mercury treatment, while Theo, afraid of the time involved ("One night with Venus, a lifetime with mercury')...

1995, Claire Cooperstein, Johanna: A Novel of the Van Gogh Family, page 112:

Early treatments with metals (arsenic, bismuth, mercury) led to the cynical summary of syphilitic infection as 'one night with Venus, a lifetime with Mercury'.

1995, J. H. L. Playfair, Infection and immunity, page 146:

Many Welsh people had cause to regret the fact that, for one night of bliss with Venus, they spent a lifetime of regret with Mercury.

2005, Russell Davies, Hope and Heartbreak, page 311:

But he knew better than to get his hopes up. As the old saying went: one night in Venus and a lifetime of Mercury.

2012, Harold Anderson, Searching for Che, page 114:

A single sexual encounter can lead to a lifetime of disease and treatment.


petit à petit, l'oiseau fait son nid

petit à petit (canonical)
l’ oiseau fait son nid (canonical)

slow and steady wins the race
slow and steady wins the race

little strokes fell great oaks
little strokes fell great oaks

many a mickle makes a muckle
many a mickle makes a muckle

slow and steady wins the race; little strokes fell great oaks; a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; many a mickle makes a muckle

les petits ruisseaux font les grandes rivières


早起きは三文の徳

ja-pos

はやおき は さんもん の とく

早(はや)起(お)きは三(さん)文(もん)の徳(とく) • (hayaoki wa sanmon no toku)

早起きは三文の徳 (canonical)
hayaoki wa sanmon no toku (romanization)

Phrase consisting of 早起き (hayaoki, “getting up early”) + は (wa, “topic marker particle”) + 三 (san, “three”) + 文 (mon, “mon, Japanese old currency”) + の (no, “genitive case marker”) + 徳 (toku, “benefit”). Literally "it is benefit of three mon to get up early."

compound

the early bird gets the worm
the early bird gets the worm


petit poisson deviendra grand

From the fable Le Petit Poisson et le Pêcheur by Jean de La Fontaine.

mighty oaks from little acorns grow
mighty oaks from little acorns grow

Jean de La Fontaine
fr:Le Petit Poisson et le Pêcheur


head

el infierno está empedrado de buenas intenciones

/el inˌfjeɾno esˌta empeˌdɾado de ˌbwenas intenˈθjones/

[el ĩɱˌfjeɾ.no esˌt̪a ẽm.peˌð̞ɾa.ð̞o ð̞e ˌβ̞we.nas ĩn̪.t̪ẽn̟ˈθjo.nes]

/el inˌfjeɾno esˌta empeˌdɾado de ˌbwenas intenˈsjones/

[el ĩɱˌfjeɾ.no esˌt̪a ẽm.peˌð̞ɾa.ð̞o ð̞e ˌβ̞we.nas ĩn̪.t̪ẽnˈsjo.nes]

the road to hell is paved with good intentions


గోడమీద పిల్లి

గోడమీద పిల్లి • (gōḍamīda pilli)

One who takes neither side of an argument or controversy; a fence sitter.

పిల్లి పిల్లి#Telugu

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see గోడ (gōḍa), మీద (mīda), పిల్లి (pilli).


Träume sind Schäume

Translation:
1863, Heinrich Heine, translation by Charles Godfrey Leland: Heinrich Heine’s Pictures of Travel, fourth revised edition. Philadelphia/London: Frederick Leypoldt/Trübner & Co., page 194:
Ach! einſt war ich auf dieſer Bank eingeſchlafen und traͤumte von Gluͤck und Liebe. „Traͤume ſind Schaͤume.“

1827, Heinrich Heine: “Ideen: Das Buch Le Grand” [1826], in Reiſebilder, 1st edition, 2nd volume, Hamburg: Hoffmann und Campe, page 216

Ah! once I slept upon this bench, and dreamed of happiness and love. “Dreams are foams and gleams.”

Die Spruchweisheit redet zwar manchmal verächtlich genug vom Traume – man meint, sie wolle der Wissenschaft recht geben, wenn sie urteilt: Träume sind Schäume –, aber für den Sprachgebrauch ist der Traum doch vorwiegend der holde Wunscherfüller.

1914 [1900], Sigmund Freud, Die Traumdeutung [The Interpretation of Dreams], 4th edition, Leipzig, Wien: Franz Deuticke, page 102; republished as Abraham Brill, transl., 1913:

The wisdom of proverbs, it is true, sometimes speaks contemptuously enough of the dream—it apparently tries to justify science in expressing the opinion that “Dreams are mere bubbles;” but still for colloquial usage the dream is the gracious fulfiller of wishes.

dreams are but shadows
dreams are but shadows

dreams are ten a penny; dreams are but shadows (dreaming of things is idle; dreams are unlikely to become reality); usually refers to dreams or wishes for the future, but can also be used of nocturnal dreams


shoemaker, stick to your last

cobbler, keep to your last
cobbler, keep to your last#English

Alternative form of cobbler, keep to your last


Schuster, bleib bei deinem Leisten

/ˈʃuːstɐ blaɪ̯p baɪ̯ ˈdaɪ̯nəm ˈlaɪ̯stn̩/

De-Schuster, bleib bei deinem Leisten.ogg

Dazu gibt es unzählige Beispiele. Die mahnenden Worte „Schuster, bleib bei deinem Leisten!“ können deshalb nicht oft genug ausgesprochen werden. Mangelndes Wissen, unzureichende Sachkenntnis und falsche Informationen führen schnell zu Pleiten und Firmenzusammenbrüchen.

2016, Roland Leonhardt, Klassische Mythologie für Manager: Eine Inspiration für den Business- und Managementalltag, Springer-Verlag, →ISBN, page 16:

There are countless examples of this. The admonishing words “cobbler, keep to your last!” therefore cannot be said often enough. Lacking knowledge, insufficient expertise and wrong information quickly lead to brankruptcies and company collapses.

cobbler, keep to your last
cobbler, keep to your last

cobbler, keep to your last (one should stick to what one knows and has experience with)


運用之妙，存乎一心

ㄩㄣˋ ㄩㄥˋ ㄓ ㄇㄧㄠˋ

ㄘㄨㄣˊ ㄏㄨ ㄧ ㄒㄧㄣ

cún hū yī xīn [Phonetic:yùnyòng zhī miào

юньюн чжи мяо

цунь ху и синь

/yn⁵¹⁻⁵³ jʊŋ⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ mi̯ɑʊ̯⁵¹ t͡sʰu̯ən³⁵ xu⁵⁵ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ɕin⁵⁵/

ingenuity in varying tactics depends on mother wit


日久見人心

ㄖˋ ㄐㄧㄡˇ ㄐㄧㄢˋ ㄖㄣˊ ㄒㄧㄣ

жи цзю цзянь жэньсинь

/ʐ̩⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹ ʐən³⁵ ɕin⁵⁵/

/jɐt̚² kɐu̯³⁵ kiːn³³ jɐn²¹ sɐm⁵⁵/

/jɐt̚² kɐu̯³⁵ kiːn³³ jɐn²¹ sɐm⁵⁵/

time reveals a person's heart; time will tell a true friend from a false one


路遙知馬力

ㄌㄨˋ ㄧㄠˊ ㄓ ㄇㄚˇ ㄌㄧˋ

лу яо чжи мали

/lu⁵¹ jɑʊ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ li⁵¹/

/lou̯²² jiːu̯²¹ t͡siː⁵⁵ maː¹³ lɪk̚²/

/lu⁵¹ jɑʊ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ li⁵¹/

/lou̯²² jiːu̯²¹ t͡siː⁵⁵ maː¹³ lɪk̚²/

a long road tests a horse's strength; distance tests a horse's stamina; only time can reveal a person's true strength


凡事預則立，不預則廢

ㄈㄢˊ ㄕˋ ㄩˋ ㄗㄜˊ ㄌㄧˋ

ㄅㄨˋ ㄩˋ ㄗㄜˊ ㄈㄟˋ

fan²-shih⁴ yü⁴ tsê² li⁴ , pu⁴ yü⁴ tsê² fei⁴

фаньши юй цзэ ли

бу юй цзэ фэй

/fän³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ y⁵¹ t͡sɤ³⁵ li⁵¹ ¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ y⁵¹ t͡sɤ³⁵ feɪ̯⁵¹/

From the Doctrine of the Mean (《中庸》) in the Book of Rites

In all things success depends on previous preparation, and without such previous preparation there is sure to be failure. If what is to be spoken be previously determined, there will be no stumbling. If affairs be previously determined, there will be no difficulty with them. If one's actions have been previously determined, there will be no sorrow in connection with them. If principles of conduct have been previously determined, the practice of them will be inexhaustible.

The Book of Rites, c. 4ᵗʰ – 2ⁿᵈ century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Fán shì yù zé lì, bù yù zé fèi. Yán qiándìng zé bù jiá, shì qiándìng zé bù kùn, xíng qiándìng zé bù jiù, dào qiándìng zé bù qióng.

凡事豫則立，不豫則廢。言前定則不跲，事前定則不困，行前定則不疚，道前定則不窮。

凡事豫则立，不豫则废。言前定则不跲，事前定则不困，行前定则不疚，道前定则不穷。

凡事预则立，不预则废
凡事豫則立，不豫則廢

Yet, since "preparedness ensures success and unpreparedness spells failure", there can be no victory in war without advance planning and preparations.

1938, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《論持久戰》 (On Protracted War), 《毛澤東選集》. English translation based on the Foreign Languages Press edition

Rán'ér, “fánshì yù zé lì, bù yù zé fèi”, méiyǒu shìxiān de jìhuà hé zhǔnbèi, jiù bùnéng huòdé zhànzhēng de shènglì.

然而，「凡事預則立，不預則廢」，沒有事先的計劃和準備，就不能獲得戰爭的勝利。

然而，「凡事预则立，不预则废」，没有事先的计划和准备，就不能获得战争的胜利。


路遙知馬力，日久見人心

ㄌㄨˋ ㄧㄠˊ ㄓ ㄇㄚˇ ㄌㄧˋ

ㄖˋ ㄐㄧㄡˇ ㄐㄧㄢˋ ㄖㄣˊ ㄒㄧㄣ

lou⁶ jiu⁴ zi¹ maa⁵ lik⁶, jat⁶ gau² gin³ jan⁴ sam¹

жицзюцзяньжэньсинь

/lu⁵¹ jɑʊ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʐ̩⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹ ʐən³⁵ ɕin⁵⁵/

louh yìuh jī máh lihk, yaht gáu gin yàhn sām

lou⁶ jiu⁴ dzi¹ maa⁵ lik⁹, jat⁹ gau² gin³ jan⁴ sam¹

lou⁶ yiu⁴ ji¹ ma⁵ lig⁶, yed⁶ geo² gin³ yen⁴ sem¹

/lou̯²² jiːu̯²¹ t͡siː⁵⁵ maː¹³ lɪk̚² jɐt̚² kɐu̯³⁵ kiːn³³ jɐn²¹ sɐm⁵⁵/

a long road tests a horse's strength and time proves a person's heart


路遙知馬力，事久見人心

ㄌㄨˋ ㄧㄠˊ ㄓ ㄇㄚˇ ㄌㄧˋ

ㄕˋ ㄐㄧㄡˇ ㄐㄧㄢˋ ㄖㄣˊ ㄒㄧㄣ

шицзюцзяньжэньсинь

/lu⁵¹ jɑʊ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ li⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹ ʐən³⁵ ɕin⁵⁵/

Guerrilla warfare does not bring as quick results or as great renown as regular warfare, but "a long road tests a horse's strength and a long task proves a person's heart", and in the course of this long and cruel war guerrilla warfare will demonstrate its immense power; it is indeed no ordinary undertaking.

Yóujī zhànzhēng méiyǒu zhèngguī zhànzhēng nàyàng xùnsù de chéngxiào hé xiǎnhè de míngshēng, dànshì “lùyáozhīmǎlì, shìjiǔjiànrénxīn”, zài chángqī hé cánkù de zhànzhēng zhōng, yóujī zhànzhēng jiāng biǎoxiàn qí hěn dà de wēilì, shízài shì fēitóngxiǎokě de shìyè.

遊擊戰爭沒有正規戰爭那樣迅速的成效和顯赫的名聲，但是「路遙知馬力，事久見人心」，在長期和殘酷的戰爭中，遊擊戰爭將表現其很大的威力，實在是非同小可的事業。

游击战争没有正规战争那样迅速的成效和显赫的名声，但是「路遥知马力，事久见人心」，在长期和残酷的战争中，游击战争将表现其很大的威力，实在是非同小可的事业。

a long road tests a horse's strength, and a long task proves a person's heart


留得青山在，不愁沒柴燒

As long as the green mountains are there, one need not worry about firewood.

ㄌㄧㄡˊ ㄉㄜˊ ㄑㄧㄥ ㄕㄢ ㄗㄞˋ

ㄅㄨˋ ㄔㄡˊ ㄇㄟˊ ㄔㄞˊ ㄕㄠ

лю дэ циншань цзай

бу чоу мэй чай шао

/li̯oʊ̯³⁵ tɤ³⁵ t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ ʂän⁵⁵ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰoʊ̯³⁵ meɪ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰaɪ̯³⁵ ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵/

If strategically decisive engagements are avoided, then "as long as the green mountains are there, one need not worry about firewood", for even though some of our territory may be lost, we shall still have plenty of room for manoeuvre and thus be able to promote and await domestic progress, international support and the internal disintegration of the enemy; that is the best policy for us in the anti-Japanese war.

Rúguǒ bìmiǎn le zhànlüè de juézhàn, “liú dé qīngshān zài, bù chóu méi chái shāo”, suīrán sàngshī ruògān tǔdì, hái yǒu guǎngdà de huíxuán yúdì, kěyǐ cùjìn bìng děnghòu guónèi de jìnbù, guójì de zēngyuán hé dírén de nèikuì, zhè shì kàngrì zhànzhēng de shàngcè.

如果避免了戰略的決戰，「留得青山在，不愁沒柴燒」，雖然喪失若干土地，還有廣大的回旋餘地，可以促進並等候國內的進步、國際的增援和敵人的內潰，這是抗日戰爭的上策。

如果避免了战略的决战，「留得青山在，不愁没柴烧」，虽然丧失若干土地，还有广大的回旋余地，可以促进并等候国内的进步、国际的增援和敌人的内溃，这是抗日战争的上策。

留得青山在，不怕沒柴燒 留得青山在，不怕沒柴燒#Chinese

留得青山在，不怕没柴烧 留得青山在，不怕没柴烧#Chinese

Alternative form of 留得青山在，不怕沒柴燒／留得青山在，不怕没柴烧 (liú dé qīngshān zài, bùpà méi chái shāo, “While there's life, there's hope.”)


olcsó húsnak híg a leve

[ˈolt͡ʃoː ˈhuːʃnɒk ˈhiːɡ ɒ ˈlɛvɛ]

LL-Q9067 (hun)-Ewithu-olcsó húsnak híg a leve.wav

olcsó (“cheap”) + hús (“meat”) + -nak (dative suffix) + híg (“thin”) + a (“the”) + lé (“gravy”) + -e (possessive suffix), approximately: "cheap meat makes thin gravy"

affix

you get what you pay for
you get what you pay for

you get what you pay for (a cheap merchandise will have cheap quality)


貧賤不能移

ㄆㄧㄣˊ ㄐㄧㄢˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄋㄥˊ ㄧˊ

пиньцзяньбунэнъи

/pʰin³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ nɤŋ³⁵ i³⁵/

/pʰɐn²¹ t͡siːn²² pɐt̚⁵ nɐŋ²¹ jiː²¹/

/pʰin³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ nɤŋ³⁵ i³⁵/

/pʰɐn²¹ t͡siːn²² pɐt̚⁵ nɐŋ²¹ jiː²¹/

To be above the power of riches and honours to make dissipated, of poverty and mean condition to make swerve from principle, and of power and force to make bend - these characteristics constitute the great man.

Fùguì bùnéng yín, pínjiàn bùnéng yí, wēiwǔ bùnéng qū. Cǐ zhī wèi dàzhàngfū.

富貴不能淫，貧賤不能移，威武不能屈。此之謂大丈夫。

富贵不能淫，贫贱不能移，威武不能屈。此之谓大丈夫。

(neologism) Poor people lack the chance to emigrate, thus suffer from the social problems in their home country more than rich people.


ang kalimot walay gahom

being forgetful gets you nowhere and does not benefit you


ayaw adto og gubat kon wala kay bala

Literally, “do not go to war if you do not have ammunition”.


walay man kardaba mamunga og tundan

Literally, “a kardaba banana trunk does not bear tundan bananas”.

lit

the apple does not fall far from the tree


head

madala nimo ang baka sa suba apan dili nimo mainom

Literally, “you can bring a cow to a river, but you can't make it drink”.

lit

you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink


walay mahay nga gauna

what's done cannot be undone
what's done cannot be undone


head

buhat ang pasulti-on dili sulti ang pabuhaton

Literally, “let the work say the words and not the words do the work”.


dili na nimo mabalik ang baha sa bukid

Literally, “you cannot make the flood go back to the mountain”.

lit

dili na mabalik ang baha paingon sa bukid


ceb-head

unaha usa og silhig ang imong tugkaran, ayha manghinlo sa uban

Literally, “clean your lawn first before you clean others' lawns”

lit

panilhig daan sa imong tugkaran, ayha ka manilhig sa uban

put one's house in order
put one's house in order

put one's house in order before criticizing others for their mistakes

organize one's business or improve ones behaviour before criticizing someone else


sa usa ka bulig naa gayod usa ka buang

Literally, “there's always a crazy one in a bunch”.

there's a rotten apple in every barrel
there's a rotten apple in every barrel


walay apan sa sinugdanan

Literally, “there are no buts in the beginning”.


head

dili na mabalik ang baha paingon sa bukid

Literally, “you cannot bring the flood back up the mountain”.


ceb-head

dilî tanáng butang sili nga mohaláng dayon

/diˌliʔ taˌnaŋ ˌbutaŋ ˌsili ŋa mohaˌlaŋ ˈdajon/

[d̪ɪˌl̪iʔ t̪ɐˌn̪aŋ ˌbu.t̪ɐŋ ˌs̪i.l̪ɪ ŋɐ mo.hɐˌl̪aŋ ˈd̪a.jon̪]

Literally, “Not everything takes effect immediately like the instant taste of spiciness from a chili pepper”.

lit

dili tanang butang sili nga mohalang dayon

Rome wasn't built in a day
Rome wasn't built in a day

it doesn't happen overnight; Rome wasn't built in a day


walay aso makumkom

Literally, “there is no smoke that can be held”

no secret remains secret; walls have ears


head

bisan ang kabaw nga naay upat ka tiil masipyat

Literally, “even the four legged carabao loses its footing”.

lit

we all make mistakes
we all make mistakes

masayop gani ang kabaw nga naay upat kabuok tiil


head

ang barko ang moduol sa pantalan, dili ang pantalan moduol sa barko

Literally, “It is the ship that goes to the port, not the port that goes to the ship”.


nagtuyok ang kalibotan

[n̪ɐɡ.t̪ʊˌjok ʔɐŋ kɐ.l̪ɪˈbo.t̪ɐn̪]

at one moment one could be at the top of one's game the next you are not, so don't treat others badly


青出於藍，而青於藍

desc

青は藍より出でて藍より青し

→ Japanese: 青は藍より出でて藍より青し (ao wa ai yori idete ai yori aoshi) (calque)

ㄑㄧㄥ ㄔㄨ ㄩˊ ㄌㄢˊ

ㄦˊ ㄑㄧㄥ ㄩˊ ㄌㄢˊ

cing¹ ceot¹ jyu¹ laam⁴, ji⁴ cing¹ jyu¹ laam⁴

chʻing¹ chʻu¹ yü² lan², êrh² chʻing¹ yü² lan²

цин чу юй лань

эр цин юй лань

/t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ y³⁵ län³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ y³⁵ län³⁵/

chīng chēut yū làahm, yìh chīng yū làahm

tsing¹ tsoet⁷ jy¹ laam⁴, ji⁴ tsing¹ jy¹ laam⁴

/t͡sʰɪŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰɵt̚⁵ jyː⁵⁵ laːm²¹ jiː²¹ t͡sʰɪŋ⁵⁵ jyː⁵⁵ laːm²¹/

The gentleman said: Learning must never cease. Blue is obtained from the indigo plant but is bluer than the plant itself; ice is made from water but is colder than water itself.

Jūnzǐ yuē: xué bùkě yǐ yǐ. Qīng, qǔ zhī yú lán, ér qīng yú lán; bīng, shuǐ wèi zhī, ér hán yú shuǐ.

君子曰：學不可以已。青，取之於藍，而青於藍；冰，水為之，而寒於水。

君子曰：学不可以已。青，取之于蓝，而青于蓝；冰，水为之，而寒于水。

thecolor blue is made out of indigo, but is more vivid than indigo

the student has surpassed his or her teacher


早起的鳥兒有蟲吃

ㄗㄠˇ ㄑㄧˇ ˙ㄉㄜ ㄋㄧㄠˇㄦ ㄧㄡˇ ㄔㄨㄥˊ ㄔ

zǎoqǐ de niǎor yǒu chóng chī [Phonetic:záoqǐdeniáoryǒuchóngchī]

tsao³-chʻi³ tê⁵ niao³-ʼrh yu³ chʻung² chʻih¹

цзаоци дэ няор ю чун чи

/t͡sɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡ɕʰi²¹⁴ d̥ə⁴ ni̯aʊ̯ɻʷ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰʊŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰʐ̩⁵⁵/

dzou² hei² dik⁷ niu⁵ ji⁴ jau⁵ tsung⁴ hek⁸

/t͡sou̯³⁵ hei̯³⁵ tɪk̚⁵ niːu̯¹³ jiː²¹ jɐu̯¹³ t͡sʰʊŋ²¹ hɛːk̚³/

Calque of English the early bird gets the worm.


osturan götə tövbə yoxdur

Literally, ~ "there is no repentance for a farting ass". Can also be literally translated as "a farting ass cannot vow not to repeat its offences", since tövbə (“repentance”) can also mean "a vow not to engage in vice [that one repents of] any more".

a leopard cannot change its spots
a leopard cannot change its spots

(vulgar) a leopard cannot change its spots


aux grands maux, les grands remèdes

aux grands maux les grands remèdes#French

Alternative spelling of aux grands maux les grands remèdes


head

camarón que se duerme se lo lleva la corriente

Literally, “the shrimp that falls asleep is taken away by the current”.

lit

you snooze, you lose
you snooze, you lose


tonący brzytwy się chwyta

Literally, “a drowning man grabs a razor”.

(idiomatic) desperate times call for desperate measures


qui va à la chasse, perd sa place

qui va à la chasse perd sa place
qui va à la chasse perd sa place#French

Alternative spelling of qui va à la chasse perd sa place


fr-proverb

il faut battre le fer tant qu’il est chaud

From battre le fer tant qu’il est chaud.

il faut battre le fer tant qu'il est chaud

il faut battre le fer pendant qu'il est chaud#French

Alternative form of il faut battre le fer pendant qu’il est chaud


kärsivällisyys on hyve

patience is a virtue
patience is a virtue

good things come to those who wait
good things come to those who wait

patience is a virtue, good things come to those who wait


head

myöhäistä hiiren haukotella kun on kissan suussa

close the stable door after the horse has bolted

there's no use in closing the stable door after the horse has bolted


歹竹出好筍

ㄉㄞˇ ㄓㄨˊ ㄔㄨ ㄏㄠˇ ㄙㄨㄣˇ

dǎi zhú chū hǎo sǔn [Phonetic:dǎizhúchūháosǔn]

дай чжу чу хао сунь

/taɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂu³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ xɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ su̯ən²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/pʰai⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tiɪk̚³² t͡sʰut̚³²⁻⁴ ho⁵³⁻⁴⁴ sun⁵³/

/pʰai⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tiɪk̚³² t͡sʰut̚³²⁻⁵ ho⁵³⁻⁴⁴ sun⁵³/

/pʰai⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ tiak̚⁵ t͡sʰut̚⁵⁻²⁴ ho⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ sun⁵⁵⁴/

/pʰãi⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tiɪk̚³² t͡sʰut̚³²⁻⁴ hɤ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ sun⁴¹/

/pʰãi⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tiɪk̚³² t͡sʰut̚³²⁻⁴ ho⁵³⁻⁴⁴ sun⁵³/

(Taiwan, southern Fujian, originally Hokkien, figurative) an exceptional child is born from lowly parents


千金買厝，萬金買厝邊

/t͡sʰiɛn⁴⁴⁻³³ kim⁴⁴ be⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ t͡sʰu²¹ ban³³⁻²¹ kim⁴⁴ be⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ t͡sʰu²¹⁻⁴¹ pĩ⁴⁴/

(Hokkien) It is important to have good and friendly neighbors; Good neighbors are more important and precious than a good house


jedes Böhnchen gibt ein Tönchen

[ˌjeːdəs ˈbøːnçən ɡiːpt ʔaɪ̯n ˈtøːnçən]

* Literally, “every little bean makes a little sound”. Chosen for the rhyme.

lit

Er reichte ihr einen Karton getrocknete weiße Bohnen, „Gigantes nennt man die in Griechenland, und ich kann dir sagen! Jedes Böhnchen gibt ein Tönchen, aber bei denen hier mußt du nachts die Zudecke festhalten.“

1998, Kerstin Jentzsch, Iphigenie in Pankow: Roman, 1st edition, Erfurt: Desotron Verlags-Gesellschaft, →ISBN, page 495:

He handed her a box of dried white beans, “They are called gigantes in Greece and I can tell you! Beans, beans, the musical fruit, the more you eat, the more you toot, but with these ones you actually have to hold down the blanket at night [so it won’t be blown away].”

Original:
1987, Stephen King: The Drawing of the Three: The Dark Tower II New York/London/Toronto/Sydney/New Delhi: Pocket Books, published in 2017, →ISBN (eBook):
Artefakte wie Benzinpumpen und bestimmte Songs (»Hey Jude« zum Beispiel oder die Zote mit den Worten »Jedes Böhnchen gibt ein Tönchen …«) haben überlebt; ebenso Geräusche und Rituale, welche unseren verklärten Ansichten über den amerikanischen Wilden Westen seltsam ähneln.

2003, Stephen King, translated by Joachim Körber: Drei: Der dunkle Turm. Roman. München: Wilhelm Heyne Verlag (eBook)

Artifacts such as gasoline pumps and certain songs (“Hey Jude,” for instance, or the bit of doggerel that begins “Beans, beans, the musical fruit …”) have survived; so have customs and rituals oddly like those from our own romanticized view of the American west.

Erst in Verbindung mit dem Öl gibt „jedes Böhnchen ein Tönchen.‟ Ich habe das mal für Sie ausprobiert. Vorvorgestern habe ich Bohnen ohne Öl gegessen – nichts. Vorgestern dann mit Öl – zu viel Information, ich weiß.

2012, Markus Holubek, Gelähmt sind wir nur im Kopf!: Von einem, der sich weigerte im Rollstuhl zu sitzen, und heute andere auf die Beine bringt, (eBook), München: südwest Verlag, →ISBN:

Only in combination with [cooking] oil “beans will become musical.” I tried it out for you once. Three days ago [lit. “the day before the day before yesterday”] I ate beans without [cooking] oil – [not a sound] nothing. The day before yesterday with [cooking] oil – too much information, I know.

(humorous) commentary about the capacity for beans to contribute to flatulence

jedes Böhnchen gibt ein Tönchen, jede Erbse einen Knall


fall seven times, stand up eight

Calque of Japanese 七転び八起き (nana korobi ya oki).

cal

One must not give up one's efforts, even those that are in vain.


à cœur vaillant, rien d'impossible

à cœur vaillant (canonical)
rien d’ impossible (canonical)

à cœur vaillant rien d'impossible#French

Alternative spelling of à cœur vaillant rien d’impossible


meitä on moneen junaan

it takes all kinds to make a world
it takes all kinds to make a world


både hängslen och livrem

head

både hängslen och livrem ("both suspenders and belt")

En verklig pessimist är jag, som använder både hängslen och livrem.

A real pessimist is me, who is always on the safe side.

Kärvande skosnören är ett skräckscenario som ingen löpare vill drabbas av. Se därför till att ha både hängslen och livrem – är de redan befintliga skosnörena för korta för att klara en trippelknut kan du behöva ersätta dem.

2013 May 19, Petra Månström, “Maratipsen du inte visste att du behövde [The Marathon Tips You Didn't Know You Needed]”, in Svenska Dagbladet:

Shoelace problems is a horror scenario that no runner wants to experience. Therefore, make sure to take extra precautions – if the already existing shoelaces are too short to handle a triple knot, you may need to replace them.

Det låter kanske som att ha både hängslen och livrem, men Anette förklarar:
– Vi kan få mycket snö från Vänern här och den kommer helt utan förvarning. Det händer kanske vart 25 år, men vi vill vara beredda när det händer.

2017 September 23, Amanda Andersson, “Grönsaksodlarna som inte lämnar något åt slumpen [The vegetable growers who leave nothing to chance]”, in Jordbruksaktuellt:

It might sound like an over-precaution, but Anette explains:
– We can get a lot of snow from Lake Vänern here and it comes without warning. It happens maybe every 25 years, but we want to be prepared when it happens.

Seger har haft en skadefylld vår med lite speltid. […] Det handlar ju inte bara om VM utan att hon ska vara tillgänglig för oss. Vi vill inte gå på för tidigt utan ha både hängslen och livrem.

2023 July 2, “Caroline Seger missade ny match: ”Hängslen och livrem” [Caroline Seger missed new match: "On the safe side'"]”, in SVT Nyheter:

Seger has had an injury-riddled spring with little playing time. […] It's not just about the WC, but that she should be available to us. We don't want to go on too soon but to be on the safe side.

A large amount, or unnecessary amount, of precautions; on the safe side.


way tawo nga humot og tae

Literally, “There is no one who's shit is fragrant”.


huomenna on uusi päivä

tomorrow is another day
tomorrow is another day


donner et retenir ne vaut

donner c'est donner, reprendre c'est voler

(law, literary) a gift is a gift; giving is giving, taking back is stealing (a gift is irrevocable)


塵歸塵，土歸土

/ʈ͡ʂʰən³⁵ ku̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰən³⁵ tʰu²¹⁴⁻²¹ ku̯eɪ̯⁵⁵ tʰu²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/t͡sʰɐn²¹ kʷɐi̯⁵⁵ t͡sʰɐn²¹ tʰou̯³⁵ kʷɐi̯⁵⁵ tʰou̯³⁵/

Calque of English Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.


head

velka on veli otettaessa, veljenpoika maksettaessa

debt is like any other trap; easy enough to get into, but hard enough to get out of


pennissä satain alku, markassa tuhanten

senteissä tuhannen alku
senteissä tuhannen alku#Finnish


sepandai-pandai tupai melompat, akhirnya jatuh ke tanah juga

lawbreakers will always be punished, no matter how hard they try to escape


uteliaisuus tappoi kissan

Calque of English curiosity killed the cat

calque

curiosity killed the cat
curiosity killed the cat


le mieux est l'ennemi du bien

le mieux est l’ ennemi du bien (canonical)

the better is the enemy of the good
the better is the enemy of the good

leave well enough alone
leave well enough alone

the better is the enemy of the good; leave well enough alone


千里之堤，潰於蟻穴

ㄑㄧㄢ ㄌㄧˇ ㄓ ㄉㄧ

ㄎㄨㄟˋ ㄩˊ ㄧˇ ㄒㄩㄝˊ

ㄑㄧㄢ ㄌㄧˇ ㄓ ㄊㄧˊ

ㄎㄨㄟˋ ㄩˊ ㄧˇ ㄒㄩㄝˋ

cin¹ lei⁵ zi¹ tai⁴, kui² jyu¹ ngai⁵ jyut⁶

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ti⁵⁵ kʰu̯eɪ̯⁵¹ y³⁵ i²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕy̯ɛ³⁵/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ li²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ tʰi³⁵ kʰu̯eɪ̯⁵¹ y³⁵ i²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕy̯ɛ⁵¹/

tsin¹ lei⁵ dzi¹ tai⁴, kui² jy¹ ngai⁵ jyt⁹

/t͡sʰiːn⁵⁵ lei̯¹³ t͡siː⁵⁵ tʰɐi̯²¹ kʰuːi̯³⁵ jyː⁵⁵ ŋɐi̯¹³ jyːt̚²/

A dike ten thousand feet long begins its crumbling with holes made by ants; a room one hundred feet square begins its burning with sparks of fire leaping through cracks of chimneys.

Han Feizi, circa 2ⁿᵈ century BCE, translated based on W. K. Liao's version

Qiān zhàng zhī dī, yǐ lóuyǐ zhī xué kuì; bǎi chǐ zhī shì, yǐ tū xì zhī yān fén.

千丈之堤，以螻蟻之穴潰；百尺之室，以突隙之煙焚。

千丈之堤，以蝼蚁之穴溃；百尺之室，以突隙之烟焚。

a thousand-li dyke can collapse because of an ant colony

a small mistake can lead to a massive disaster


小心駛得萬年船

If you are careful, you can steer your ship safely for a myriad years

ㄒㄧㄠˇ ㄒㄧㄣ ㄕˇ ㄉㄜˊ ㄨㄢˋ ㄋㄧㄢˊ ㄔㄨㄢˊ

hsiao³-hsin¹ shih³ tê² wan⁴-nien² chʻuan²

сяосинь ши дэ ваньнянь чуань

/ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕin⁵⁵ ʂʐ̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ tɤ³⁵ wän⁵¹ ni̯ɛn³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰu̯än³⁵/

/siːu̯³⁵ sɐm⁵⁵ sɐi̯³⁵ tɐk̚⁵ maːn²² niːn²¹ syːn²¹/

one can always be safe if one is careful


無事獻殷勤，非奸即盜

ㄨˊ ㄕˋ ㄒㄧㄢˋ ㄧㄣ ㄑㄧㄣˊ

ㄈㄟ ㄐㄧㄢ ㄐㄧˊ ㄉㄠˋ

mou⁵ si⁶ hin³ jan¹ kan⁴, fei¹ gan¹ zik¹ dou⁶

ушисяньиньцинь

фэйцзяньцзидао

/u³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕi̯ɛn⁵¹ in⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰin³⁵ feɪ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛn⁵⁵ t͡ɕi³⁵ tɑʊ̯⁵¹/

mou⁵ si⁶ hin³ jan¹ kan⁴, fei¹ gan¹ dzik⁷ dou⁶

mou⁵ xi⁶ hin³ yen¹ ken⁴, féi¹ gen¹ jig¹ dou⁶

/mou̯¹³ siː²² hiːn³³ jɐn⁵⁵ kʰɐn²¹ fei̯⁵⁵ kɐn⁵⁵ t͡sɪk̚⁵ tou̯²²/

one who offers unsolicited hospitality must be harboring evil intentions


魚は頭から腐る

ja-pos

さかな は あたま から くさる

魚(さかな)は頭(あたま)から腐(くさ)る • (sakana wa atama kara kusaru)

魚は頭から腐る (canonical)
sakana wa atama kara kusaru (romanization)

the fish rots from the head
the fish rots from the head


人之患在好為人師

ㄖㄣˊ ㄓ ㄏㄨㄢˋ ㄗㄞˋ ㄏㄠˋ ㄨㄟˊ ㄖㄣˊ ㄕ

jên² chih¹ huan⁴ tsai⁴ hao⁴-wei²-jên²-shih¹

жэнь чжи хуань цзай хаовэйжэньши

/ʐən³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ xu̯än⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡saɪ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ xɑʊ̯⁵¹ weɪ̯³⁵ ʐən³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵⁵/

jan⁴ dzi¹ waan⁶ dzoi⁶ hou³ wai⁴ jan⁴ si¹

/jɐn²¹ t͡siː⁵⁵ waːn²² t͡sɔːi̯²² hou̯³³ wɐi̯²¹ jɐn²¹ siː⁵⁵/

Mencius said, 'The evil of men is that they like to be teachers of others.'

Mèngzǐ yuē: “Rén zhī huàn zài hàowéirénshī.”

孟子曰：「人之患在好為人師。」

孟子曰：「人之患在好为人师。」

it is bad to give unsolicited counsel or lectures


一筋縄で行かぬ

ひとすじなわ で いかぬ

一(ひと)筋(すじ)縄(なわ)で行(い)かぬ • (hitosujinawa de ikanu)

一筋縄で行かぬ (canonical)
hitosujinawa de ikanu (romanization)

一筋縄では行かない 一筋縄では行かない#Japanese

Alternative form of 一筋縄では行かない (hitosujinawa de wa ikanai)


一筋縄で行かない

ひとすじなわ で いかない

一(ひと)筋(すじ)縄(なわ)で行(い)かない • (hitosujinawa de ikanai)

一筋縄で行かない (canonical)
hitosujinawa de ikanai (romanization)

一筋縄では行かない 一筋縄では行かない#Japanese


ma' min rajtek xebbaħtek

ma’ min rajtek xebbahtek
ma' min rajtek xebbahtek#Maltese

Alternative spelling of ma’ min rajtek xebbahtek


الهدرة ما تشري خضرة

head

الهدرة ما تشري خضرة

الهدرة ما تشري خضرة • (el-hadra ma tašri ḵuḍra)

Literally: “Talk doesn’t buy vegetables.”


jekk ma tibkix ma terdax

Literally, “If you don't cry, you won't be breastfed”.

lit

You have to insist to get what you want.


一筋縄では行かない

ja-pos

ひとすじなわ で は いかない

一(ひと)筋(すじ)縄(なわ)では行(い)かない • (hitosujinawa de wa ikanai)

一筋縄では行かない (canonical)
hitosujinawa de wa ikanai (romanization)

Phrase consisting of 一筋縄 (hito suji nawa, “a piece of rope”) + では (de wa, “indicates means of action”) + 行かない (ikanai, “can't proceed”). Literally "can't proceed with a piece of rope".

not straightforward; not dealt with by ordinary means


min jilgħab man-nar fl-aħħar jinħaraq

Min jilgħab man-nar fl-aħħar jinħaraq (canonical)

/ˈmiːn ˈjɪ.lap manˈnaːr ˈflaħ.ħar jɪnˈħa.raʔ/

/ˈmiːn ˈjɪ.laˤːp manˈnaːr ˈflaħ.ħar jɪnˈħa.raʔ/

Literally, “He who plays with fire, will burn himself at the end”.

lit

live by the sword, die by the sword
live by the sword, die by the sword


iż-żejt dejjem jitla' f'wiċċ l-ilma

Iż- żejt dejjem jitla’ f’ wiċċ l- ilma (canonical)

Literally, “Oil will always surface on top of water”.


sin arcada no hay mamada

Literally, “without gagging there is no blowjob”.

(sex, informal, vulgar) a blowjob is not good unless it goes deep enough to make the person performing it gag


don't fight the tape

(finance) Do not bet or trade against the trend in the financial markets.


三人行，必有我師

ㄅㄧˋ ㄧㄡˇ ㄨㄛˇ ㄕ

sānrénxíng, bì yǒu wǒ shī [Phonetic:sānrénxíng,bìyóuwǒshī]

/sän⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵ ɕiŋ³⁵ pi⁵¹ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ wɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩⁵⁵/

/saːm⁵⁵ jɐn²¹ hɐŋ²¹ piːt̚⁵ jɐu̯¹³ ŋɔː¹³ siː⁵⁵/

The Master said, "When I walk along with two others, they may serve me as my teachers. I will select their good qualities and follow them, their bad qualities and avoid them."

The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Zǐ yuē: “Sān rén xíng, bì yǒu wǒ shī yān. Zé qí shàn zhě ér cóng zhī, qí bùshàn zhě ér gǎi zhī.”

子曰：「三人行，必有我師焉。擇其善者而從之，其不善者而改之。」

子曰：「三人行，必有我师焉。择其善者而从之，其不善者而改之。」

there is always someone that one can learn from among a group of people


非我族類，其心必異

ㄈㄟ ㄨㄛˇ ㄗㄨˊ ㄌㄟˋ

ㄑㄧˊ ㄒㄧㄣ ㄅㄧˋ ㄧˋ

fei¹ ngo⁵ zuk⁶ leoi⁶, kei⁴ sam¹ bit¹ ji⁶

/feɪ̯⁵⁵ wɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡su³⁵ leɪ̯⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi³⁵ ɕin⁵⁵ pi⁵¹⁻⁵³ i⁵¹/

fei¹ ngo⁵ dzuk⁹ loey⁶, kei⁴ sam¹ bit⁷ ji⁶

/fei̯⁵⁵ ŋɔː¹³ t͡sʊk̚² lɵy̯²² kʰei̯²¹ sɐm⁵⁵ piːt̚⁵ jiː²²/

If he be not of our kin, he is sure to have a different mind.

People of a different race or ethnicity can not be trusted.


知人者智，自知者明

ㄓ ㄖㄣˊ ㄓㄜˇ ㄓˋ

ㄗˋ ㄓ ㄓㄜˇ ㄇㄧㄥˊ

chih¹ jên² chê³ chih⁴, tzŭ⁴ chih¹ chê³ ming²

чжи жэнь чжэ чжи

цзы чжи чжэ мин

čži žɛnʹ čžɛ čži

/ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡sz̩⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ miŋ³⁵/

dzi¹ jan⁴ dze² dzi³, dzi⁶ dzi¹ dze² ming⁴

/t͡siː⁵⁵ jɐn²¹ t͡sɛː³⁵ t͡siː³³ t͡siː²² t͡siː⁵⁵ t͡sɛː³⁵ mɪŋ²¹/

He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent.

Tao Te Ching, 4ᵗʰ century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

知人者智，自知者明。

know thyself; one who has self-knowledge is intelligent; those who know others are discerning, but those who know themselves are truly wise


積善之家，必有餘慶

ㄐㄧ ㄕㄢˋ ㄓ ㄐㄧㄚ

ㄅㄧˋ ㄧㄡˇ ㄩˊ ㄑㄧㄥˋ

zik¹ sin⁶ zi¹ gaa¹, bit¹ jau⁵ jyu⁴ hing³

цзишань чжи цзя

/t͡ɕi⁵⁵ ʂän⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ t͡ɕi̯ä⁵⁵ pi⁵¹ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ y³⁵ t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵¹/

dzik⁷ sin⁶ dzi¹ gaa¹, bit⁷ jau⁵ jy⁴ hing³

/t͡sɪk̚⁵ siːn²² t͡siː⁵⁵ kaː⁵⁵ piːt̚⁵ jɐu̯¹³ jyː²¹ hɪŋ³³/

The family that accumulates goodness is sure to have superabundant happiness, and the family that accumulates evil is sure to have superabundant misery.

Jīshàn zhī jiā, bì yǒu yúqìng; jī bùshàn zhī jiā, bì yǒu yúyāng.

積善之家，必有餘慶；積不善之家，必有餘殃。

积善之家，必有余庆；积不善之家，必有余殃。

people who do good deeds will have good fortune in the future


石の上にも三年

ja-pos

いし の うえ に も さんねん

石(いし)の上(うえ)にも三(さん)年(ねん) • (ishi no ue ni mo sannen)

石の上にも三年 (canonical)
ishi no ue ni mo sannen (romanization)

[iɕino̞ːe̞ɲ̟imo̞sã̠nːẽ̞ɴ]

Great works are performed by perseverance.


à méchant ouvrier, point de bon outil

/a me.ʃɑ̃.t‿u.vʁi.je | pwɛ̃ d(ə) bɔ.n‿u.ti/

LL-Q150 (fra)-Lepticed7-à méchant ouvrier, point de bon outil.wav

a bad workman always blames his tools
a bad workman always blames his tools

un mauvais ouvrier a toujours de mauvais outils

ce n’est pas en cassant le thermomètre qu’on fait tomber la fièvre


少壯不努力，老大徒傷悲

ㄕㄠˋ ㄓㄨㄤˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄋㄨˇ ㄌㄧˋ

ㄌㄠˇ ㄉㄚˋ ㄊㄨˊ ㄕㄤ ㄅㄟ

siu³ zong³ bat¹ nou⁵ lik⁶, lou⁵ daai⁶ tou⁴ soeng¹ bei¹

шаочжуан бу нули

лаода ту шанбэй

/ʂɑʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂu̯ɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ nu²¹⁴⁻²¹ li⁵¹ lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tä⁵¹ tʰu³⁵ ʂɑŋ⁵⁵ peɪ̯⁵⁵/

siu jong bāt nóuh lihk, lóuh daaih tòuh sēung bēi

siu³ dzong³ bat⁷ nou⁵ lik⁹, lou⁵ daai⁶ tou⁴ soeng¹ bei¹

xiu³ zong³ bed¹ nou⁵ lig⁶, lou⁵ dai⁶ tou⁴ sêng¹ béi¹

/siːu̯³³ t͡sɔːŋ³³ pɐt̚⁵ nou̯¹³ lɪk̚² lou̯¹³ taːi̯²² tʰou̯²¹ sœːŋ⁵⁵ pei̯⁵⁵/

Green are the garden mallow flowers, in the hot sun the dews of morning dry.
The sunshine of spring benevolence showers, and bathes all things in brilliant glory.
Yet we fear as autumn tides come again, all plants and flowers will soon withered be.
When will the rivers flow to the west again, since they all roll eastward to the sea?
If one wastes his time in golden youth, he can but pass his old age in bitter ruth.

Han Dynasty, Unknown, Chang Ge Xing (長歌行)

Qīngqīng yuán zhōng kuí, zhāolù dài rì xī.
Yángchūn bù dézé, wànwù shēng guānghuī.
Cháng kǒng qiū jié zhì, kūnhuáng huá yè cūi.
Bǎichuān dōng dào hǎi, héshí fù xī guī?
Shàozhuàng bù nǔlì, lǎodà tú shāngbēi.

青青園中葵，朝露待日晞。
陽春布德澤，萬物生光輝。
常恐秋節至，焜黃華葉衰。
百川東到海，何時復西歸?
少壯不努力，老大徒傷悲。[[#Chinese|]]

青青园中葵，朝露待日晞。
阳春布德泽，万物生光辉。
常恐秋节至，焜黄华叶衰。
百川东到海，何时复西归?
少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲。[[#Chinese|]]

If one does not exert oneself in youth, one will regret it in old age.


jokaisella pilvellä on hopeareunus

every cloud has a silver lining
every cloud has a silver lining


en-proverb

Attributed to Daniel S. Greenberg, who wrote “Don’t ask the barber whether you need a haircut” in the November 1972 issue of the Saturday Review, popularizing the saying. It was made more famous by Warren Buffet in his annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders.

You never ask the barber if you need a haircut. What do you think he will say? So corn farmers tell Congress that ethanol is good and will help stop the greenhouse effect and make cars run smoother and we will all be in energy heaven if we listen to them.

2013, Philip Theibert, Potato Chip Economics […] , John Hunt Publishing, →ISBN:


head

[hær uɣurˈɫu kiʃiˈnin ɑrχɑsɯnˈdɑ bir ɡɑˈdɯn dɑjɑˈnɯr]

[hær uɣuˈrːu kiʃiˈnin ɑrχɑsɯnˈdɑ bir ɡɑˈdɯn dɑjɑˈnɯr]

LL-Q9292 (aze)-Azerbaijani audiorecordings-hər uğurlu kişinin arxasında bir qadın dayanır.wav

behind every successful man there stands a woman

hər müvəffəqiyyətli kişinin arxasında bir qadın dayanır

hər uğurlu kişinin arxasında bir qadın var


一日の計は朝にあり、一年の計は元旦にあり

ja-pos

一%日の計は朝にあり、一%年の計は元%旦にあり

いち%にち の けい は あした に あり、いち%ねん の けい は がん%たん に あり

一(いち)日(にち)の計(けい)は朝(あした)にあり、一(いち)年(ねん)の計(けい)は元(がん)旦(たん)にあり • (ichinichi no kei wa ashita ni ari, ichinen no kei wa gantan ni ari)

一日の計は朝にあり、一年の計は元旦にあり (canonical)

Literally “plan your day during the morning, plan your year during New Year's”. Compare Chinese 一年之計在於春，一日之計在於晨／一年之计在于春，一日之计在于晨 (yī nián zhī jì zàiyú chūn, yī rì zhī jì zàiyú chén).

zh-l

一年之計在於春，一日之計在於晨

(literally) plan your day during the morning, plan your year during New Year's

en-一日の計は朝にあり、一年の計は元旦にあり-ja-proverb-z~bZPQZk

en-一日の計は朝にあり、一年の計は元旦にあり-ja-proverb-QehJ7gMI


head

/aʊ̯x aɪ̯n ˈblɪndəs huːn ˈfɪndət maːl aɪ̯n kɔʁn/

De-auch ein blindes Huhn findet mal ein Korn.ogg

Literally, “even a blind hen/chicken finds a grain at times”.

lit

ein blindes Huhn findet auch mal ein Korn

auch ein blindes Huhn findet einmal ein Korn

using the formal einmal; rather rare even in writing

ein blindes Huhn findet auch einmal ein Korn

every dog has its day
every dog has its day

success depends in part on coincidence; every dog has its day, even a blind squirrel can find a nut once in a while

(positive reading) even someone less capable or less gifted may at some point be successful

(negative reading) someone’s being successful in, or right about, a particular matter need not mean that they are capable


à l'impossible, nul n'est tenu

à l’impossible (canonical)
nul n’ est tenu (canonical)

à l’impossible nul n’est tenu
à l'impossible nul n'est tenu#French

Alternative spelling of à l’impossible nul n’est tenu


gesunder Geist in gesundem Körper

De-gesunder Geist in gesundem Körper.ogg

Calque of Latin mens sana in corpore sano.


樹倒活猻散

/zz̩²² tɔ³³ ɦuəʔ¹¹ sən³³ se³⁴/

/zz̩²² tɔ³³ ɦuəʔ¹¹ sən³³ se³⁴/

樹倒猢猻散 樹倒猢猻散#Chinese

树倒猢狲散 树倒猢狲散#Chinese

(Wu) Synonym of 樹倒猢猻散／树倒猢狲散 (shù dǎo húsūn sàn, “When a leader loses power, his/her followers disperse.”)


chi non fa non falla

Literally, “he who does nothing makes no mistakes”.


君子不立危牆之下

ㄐㄩㄣ ㄗˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄌㄧˋ ㄨㄟ ㄑㄧㄤˊ ㄓ ㄒㄧㄚˋ

ㄐㄩㄣ ㄗˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄌㄧˋ ㄨㄟˊ ㄑㄧㄤˊ ㄓ ㄒㄧㄚˋ

gwan¹ zi² bat¹ laap⁶ ngai⁴ coeng⁴ zi¹ haa⁶

gwan¹ zi² bat¹ lap⁶ ngai⁴ coeng⁴ zi¹ haa⁶

jūnzǐ bù lì wēiqiáng zhī xià [Phonetic:jūnzǐ bú lì wēiqiáng zhī xià]

chün¹-tzŭ³ pu⁴ li⁴ wei¹-chʻiang² chih¹ hsia⁴

цзюньцзы бу ли вэйцян чжи ся

/t͡ɕyn⁵⁵ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ li⁵¹ weɪ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹/

jūnzǐ bù lì wéiqiáng zhī xià [Phonetic:jūnzǐ bú lì wéiqiáng zhī xià]

chün¹-tzŭ³ pu⁴ li⁴ wei²-chʻiang² chih¹ hsia⁴

/t͡ɕyn⁵⁵ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ li⁵¹ weɪ̯³⁵ t͡ɕʰi̯ɑŋ³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹/

gwan¹ dzi² bat⁷ laap⁹ ngai⁴ tsoeng⁴ dzi¹ haa⁶

gwan¹ dzi² bat⁷ lap⁹ ngai⁴ tsoeng⁴ dzi¹ haa⁶

/kʷɐn⁵⁵ t͡siː³⁵ pɐt̚⁵ laːp̚² ŋɐi̯²¹ t͡sʰœːŋ²¹ t͡siː⁵⁵ haː²²/

/kʷɐn⁵⁵ t͡siː³⁵ pɐt̚⁵ lɐp̚² ŋɐi̯²¹ t͡sʰœːŋ²¹ t͡siː⁵⁵ haː²²/

[Phonetic: jūnzǐ bú lì wēiqiáng zhī xià]

[Phonetic: jūnzǐ bú lì wéiqiáng zhī xià]

Mencius said, 'There is an appointment for everything. A man should receive submissively what may be correctly ascribed thereto. Therefore, he who has the true idea of what is Heaven's appointment will not stand beneath a precipitous wall. Death sustained in the discharge of one's duties may correctly be ascribed to the appointment of Heaven. Death under handcuffs and fetters cannot correctly be so ascribed.'

Mèngzǐ yuē: “Mò fēi mìng yě, shùn shòu qí zhèng. Shìgù zhīmìng zhě, bù lì hū yán qiáng zhī xià. Jìn qí dào ér sǐ zhě, zhèng mìng yě. Zhìgù sǐ zhě, fēi zhèng mìng yě.”

孟子曰：「莫非命也，順受其正。是故知命者，不立乎巖牆之下。盡其道而死者，正命也。桎梏死者，非正命也。」

孟子曰：「莫非命也，顺受其正。是故知命者，不立乎岩墙之下。尽其道而死者，正命也。桎梏死者，非正命也。」

A virtuous man does not stand next to a wall about to collapse.

A man stays away from dangerous situations.


onni suosii rohkeaa

fortune favors the bold
fortune favors the bold


fr-proverb

/la ʁɛ.zɔ̃ dy ply fɔʁ ɛ tu.ʒuʁ la mɛ.jœʁ/

/la ʁe.zɔ̃ dy ply fɔʁ ɛ tu.ʒuʁ la me.jœʁ/

LL-Q150 (fra)-Benoît Prieur-la raison du plus fort est toujours la meilleure.wav

From the fable Le Loup et l'Agneau by Jean de La Fontaine. From the same fable, see also sans autre forme de procès.

Jean de La Fontaine
fr:Le Loup et l'Agneau


/a ʃ(ə).val dɔ.ne ɔ̃ nə ʁ(ə).ɡaʁ.d(ə) pa le dɑ̃/

/a ʃ(ə).val dɔ.ne ɔ̃ nə ʁ(ə).ɡaʁ.d(ə) pɑ le dɑ̃/

LL-Q150 (fra)-LoquaxFR-à cheval donné on ne regarde pas les dents.wav

don't look a gift horse in the mouth
don't look a gift horse in the mouth

à cheval donné on ne regarde pas la bride


à cheval donné on ne regarde pas la bride

/a ʃ(ə).val dɔ.ne ɔ̃ nə ʁ(ə).ɡaʁ.d(ə) pa la bʁid/

/a ʃ(ə).val dɔ.ne ɔ̃ nə ʁ(ə).ɡaʁ.d(ə) pɑ la bʁid/


mal de muchos, consuelo de tontos

misery loves company
misery loves company


head

a caballo regalado, no le mires el dentado

a caballo regalado no le mires el diente#Spanish

Alternative form of a caballo regalado no le mires el diente


de aquellos polvos, estos lodos

[d̪e aˌke.ʝos ˌpol.β̞os | ˌes.t̪os ˈlo.ð̞os]

rural northern Spain, Andes Mountains, Philippines

[d̪e aˌke.ʎos ˌpol.β̞os | ˌes.t̪os ˈlo.ð̞os]

[d̪e aˌke.ʃos ˌpol.β̞os | ˌes.t̪os ˈlo.ð̞os]

[d̪e aˌke.ʒos ˌpol.β̞os | ˌes.t̪os ˈlo.ð̞os]

Literally, “from those powders, these muds”.

lit

the chickens come home to roost
the chickens come home to roost

(idiomatic) the chickens come home to roost

quien siembra vientos recoge tempestades


人必自侮而後人侮之

ㄖㄣˊ ㄅㄧˋ ㄗˋ ㄨˇ ㄦˊ ㄏㄡˋ ㄖㄣˊ ㄨˇ ㄓ

jan⁴ bit¹ zi⁶ mou⁵ ji⁴ hau⁶ jan⁴ mou⁵ zi¹

jên² pi⁴ tzŭ⁴-wu³ êrh²-hou⁴ jên² wu³ chih¹

жэнь би цзыу эрхоу жэнь у чжи

/ʐən³⁵ pi⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡sz̩⁵¹ u²¹⁴⁻²¹ ˀɤɻ³⁵ xoʊ̯⁵¹ ʐən³⁵ u²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵/

jan⁴ bit⁷ dzi⁶ mou⁵ ji⁴ hau⁶ jan⁴ mou⁵ dzi¹

yen⁴ bid¹ ji⁶ mou⁵ yi⁴ heo⁶ yen⁴ mou⁵ ji¹

/jɐn²¹ piːt̚⁵ t͡siː²² mou̯¹³ jiː²¹ hɐu̯²² jɐn²¹ mou̯¹³ t͡siː⁵⁵/

A man must first despise himself, and then others will despise him. A family must first destroy itself, and then others will destroy it. A State must first smite itself, and then others will smite it.

Fú rén bì zì wǔ, ránhòu rén wǔ zhī; jiā bì zì huǐ, érhòu rén huǐ zhī; guó bì zì fá, érhòu rén fá zhī.

夫人必自侮，然後人侮之；家必自毀，而後人毀之；國必自伐，而後人伐之。

夫人必自侮，然后人侮之；家必自毁，而后人毁之；国必自伐，而后人伐之。

人必自侮而后人侮之
人必自侮然後人侮之

One is humiliated by others always because one has brought humiliation upon oneself first.


人必自侮然後人侮之

ㄖㄣˊ ㄅㄧˋ ㄗˋ ㄨˇ ㄖㄢˊ ㄏㄡˋ ㄖㄣˊ ㄨˇ ㄓ

jan⁴ bit¹ zi⁶ mou⁵ jin⁴ hau⁶ jan⁴ mou⁵ zi¹

jên² pi⁴ tzŭ⁴-wu³ jan²-hou⁴ jên² wu³ chih¹

жэнь би цзыу жаньхоу жэнь у чжи

/ʐən³⁵ pi⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡sz̩⁵¹ u²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐän³⁵ xoʊ̯⁵¹ ʐən³⁵ u²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵/

yàhn bīt jih móuh yìhn hauh yàhn móuh jī

jan⁴ bit⁷ dzi⁶ mou⁵ jin⁴ hau⁶ jan⁴ mou⁵ dzi¹

yen⁴ bid¹ ji⁶ mou⁵ yin⁴ heo⁶ yen⁴ mou⁵ ji¹

/jɐn²¹ piːt̚⁵ t͡siː²² mou̯¹³ jiːn²¹ hɐu̯²² jɐn²¹ mou̯¹³ t͡siː⁵⁵/

See 人必自侮而後人侮之／人必自侮而后人侮之 (rén bì zìwǔ érhòu rén wǔ zhī).

zh-l

人必自侮而後人侮之 人必自侮而後人侮之#Chinese

人必自侮而后人侮之 人必自侮而后人侮之#Chinese

Synonym of 人必自侮而後人侮之／人必自侮而后人侮之 (rén bì zìwǔ érhòu rén wǔ zhī)


人必自重而後人重之

ㄖㄣˊ ㄅㄧˋ ㄗˋ ㄓㄨㄥˋ ㄦˊ ㄏㄡˋ ㄖㄣˊ ㄓㄨㄥˋ ㄓ

jan⁴ bit¹ zi⁶ zung⁶ ji⁴ hau⁴ jan⁴ zung⁶ zi¹

jên² pi⁴ tzŭ⁴-chung⁴ êrh²-hou⁴ jên² chung⁴ chih¹

жэнь би цзычжун эрхоу жэнь чжун чжи

/ʐən³⁵ pi⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵¹ ˀɤɻ³⁵ xoʊ̯⁵¹ ʐən³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʊŋ⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵/

yàhn bīt jih juhng yìh hàuh yàhn juhng jī

jan⁴ bit⁷ dzi⁶ dzung⁶ ji⁴ hau⁴ jan⁴ dzung⁶ dzi¹

yen⁴ bid¹ ji⁶ zung⁶ yi⁴ heo⁴ yen⁴ zung⁶ ji¹

/jɐn²¹ piːt̚⁵ t͡siː²² t͡sʊŋ²² jiː²¹ hɐu̯²¹ jɐn²¹ t͡sʊŋ²² t͡siː⁵⁵/

A person must first respect himself and conduct himself appropriately before others will respect him.


there's no smoke without fire

no smoke without fire
no smoke without fire#English

Alternative form of no smoke without fire


名のない星は宵から出る

ja-pos

な の ない ほし は よい から でる

名(な)のない星(ほし)は宵(よい)から出(で)る • (na no nai hoshi wa yoi kara deru)

名のない星は宵から出る (canonical)
na no nai hoshi wa yoi kara deru (romanization)

Literally “a nameless star appears in the evening”.


朝題目に宵念仏

あさ だいもく に よい ねんぶつ

朝(あさ)題(だい)目(もく)に宵(よい)念(ねん)仏(ぶつ) • (asa daimoku ni yoi nenbutsu)

朝題目に宵念仏 (canonical)
asa daimoku ni yoi nenbutsu (romanization)

Literally “chanting the daimoku (title) in the morning, and Buddhist prayers in the evening.”
Chanting the daimoku is a specialty of the Nichiren school of Buddhism, while the evening prayers is a specialty of other Buddhist sects, such as 浄土宗 (Jōdo-shū, literally “Pure Land school”).

changing sides frequently; lacking loyalty or principles; opportunistic


拳不離手，曲不離口

ㄑㄩㄢˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄌㄧˊ ㄕㄡˇ

ㄑㄩ ㄅㄨˋ ㄌㄧˊ ㄎㄡˇ

kyun⁴ bat¹ lei⁴ sau², kuk¹ bat¹ lei⁴ hau²

цюаньбулишоу

/t͡ɕʰy̯ɛn³⁵ pu⁵¹ li³⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰy⁵⁵ pu⁵¹ li³⁵ kʰoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

kyn⁴ bat⁷ lei⁴ sau², kuk⁷ bat⁷ lei⁴ hau²

kün⁴ bed¹ léi⁴ seo², kug¹ bed¹ léi⁴ heo²

/kʰyːn²¹ pɐt̚⁵ lei̯²¹ sɐu̯³⁵ kʰʊk̚⁵ pɐt̚⁵ lei̯²¹ hɐu̯³⁵/

Only through diligent practice can one become proficient in the skill or art.


pau que nasce torto nunca se endireita

Literally, “a twig that is born twisted will never be straight”.

lit

a leopard cannot change its spots
a leopard cannot change its spots

the traits which one has been born with cannot be really changed; cf. a leopard cannot change its spots

you can't teach an old dog new tricks
you can't teach an old dog new tricks

the best is to emphasize a proper education from the youngest age; cf. you can't teach an old dog new tricks


覆巢之下，焉有完卵

ㄈㄨˋ ㄔㄠˊ ㄓ ㄒㄧㄚˋ

ㄧㄢ ㄧㄡˇ ㄨㄢˊ ㄌㄨㄢˇ

fuk¹ caau⁴ zi¹ haa⁶, jin¹ jau⁵ jyun⁴ leon⁵⁻²

яньюваньлуань

/fu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɑʊ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ jɛn⁵⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ wän³⁵ lu̯än²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

fuk⁷ tsaau⁴ dzi¹ haa⁶, jin¹ jau⁵ jyn⁴ loen⁵⁻²

fug¹ cao⁴ ji¹ ha⁶, yin¹ yeo⁵ yun⁴ lên⁵⁻²

/fʊk̚⁵ t͡sʰaːu̯²¹ t͡siː⁵⁵ haː²² jiːn⁵⁵ jɐu̯¹³ jyːn²¹ lɵn¹³⁻³⁵/

覆巢之下無完卵 覆巢之下無完卵#Chinese

覆巢之下无完卵 覆巢之下无完卵#Chinese

Synonym of 覆巢之下無完卵／覆巢之下无完卵 (fùcháozhīxiàwúwánluǎn, “No individual can escape from the calamity its group is suffering.”)


覆巢之下無完卵

No eggs remain intact when the nest overturns.

ㄈㄨˋ ㄔㄠˊ ㄓ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄨˊ ㄨㄢˊ ㄌㄨㄢˇ

фучаочжисяуваньлуань

/fu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɑʊ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ u³⁵ wän³⁵ lu̯än²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/fʊk̚⁵ t͡sʰaːu̯²¹ t͡siː⁵⁵ haː²² mou̯²¹ jyːn²¹ lɵn³⁵/

No individual can escape from the calamity its group is suffering.


覆巢之下，豈有完卵

ㄈㄨˋ ㄔㄠˊ ㄓ ㄒㄧㄚˋ

ㄑㄧˇ ㄧㄡˇ ㄨㄢˊ ㄌㄨㄢˇ

fuk¹ caau⁴ zi¹ haa⁶, hei² jau⁵ jyun⁴ leon⁵⁻²

циюваньлуань

/fu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɑʊ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi²¹⁴⁻³⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ wän³⁵ lu̯än²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

fuk⁷ tsaau⁴ dzi¹ haa⁶, hei² jau⁵ jyn⁴ loen⁵⁻²

fug¹ cao⁴ ji¹ ha⁶, héi² yeo⁵ yun⁴ lên⁵⁻²

/fʊk̚⁵ t͡sʰaːu̯²¹ t͡siː⁵⁵ haː²² hei̯³⁵ jɐu̯¹³ jyːn²¹ lɵn¹³⁻³⁵/

覆巢之下無完卵 覆巢之下無完卵#Chinese

覆巢之下无完卵 覆巢之下无完卵#Chinese


覆巢之下，安有完卵

ㄈㄨˋ ㄔㄠˊ ㄓ ㄒㄧㄚˋ

ㄢ ㄧㄡˇ ㄨㄢˊ ㄌㄨㄢˇ

fuk¹ caau⁴ zi¹ haa⁶, on¹ jau⁵ jyun⁴ leon⁵⁻²

аньюваньлуань

/fu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɑʊ̯³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ ˀän⁵⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ wän³⁵ lu̯än²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

fuk⁷ tsaau⁴ dzi¹ haa⁶, on¹ jau⁵ jyn⁴ loen⁵⁻²

/fʊk̚⁵ t͡sʰaːu̯²¹ t͡siː⁵⁵ haː²² ɔːn⁵⁵ jɐu̯¹³ jyːn²¹ lɵn¹³⁻³⁵/

覆巢之下無完卵 覆巢之下無完卵#Chinese

覆巢之下无完卵 覆巢之下无完卵#Chinese


en-proverb

close only counts in horseshoes and darts

close only counts in horseshoes
close only counts in horseshoes#English

(rare) Synonym of close only counts in horseshoes


聰明一世，懵懂一時

ㄘㄨㄥ ㄇㄧㄥˊ ㄧ ㄕˋ

ㄇㄥˇ ㄉㄨㄥˇ ㄧ ㄕˊ

ㄇㄥˊ ㄉㄨㄥˇ ㄧ ㄕˊ

ㄇㄥ ㄉㄨㄥˇ ㄧ ㄕˊ

cung¹ ming⁴ jat¹ sai³, mung² dung² jat¹ si⁴

/t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ miŋ³⁵ i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ mɤŋ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ tʊŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʂʐ̩³⁵/

/t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ miŋ³⁵ i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ mɤŋ³⁵ tʊŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʂʐ̩³⁵/

/t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ miŋ³⁵ i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ mɤŋ⁵⁵ tʊŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʂʐ̩³⁵/

tsung¹ ming⁴ jat⁷ sai³, mung² dung² jat⁷ si⁴

cung¹ ming⁴ yed¹ sei³, mung² dung² yed¹ xi⁴

/t͡sʰʊŋ⁵⁵ mɪŋ²¹ jɐt̚⁵ sɐi̯³³ mʊŋ³⁵ tʊŋ³⁵ jɐt̚⁵ siː²¹/

/t͡sʰoŋ⁵⁵ min³³ iɪʔ³³ sz̩³³ moŋ²² toŋ³³ iɪʔ³³ zz̩⁴⁴/

聰明一世，糊塗一時 聰明一世，糊塗一時#Chinese

聪明一世，糊涂一时 聪明一世，糊涂一时#Chinese

Synonym of 聰明一世，糊塗一時／聪明一世，糊涂一时 (cōngmíng yīshì, hútú yīshí, “even smart people can have a momentary lapse in judgement; even Homer nods”)


you can't put the toothpaste back into the tube

you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube#English

Alternative form of you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube


But, as they say, you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube, so once it was out there for everybody to read there was no way of keeping it a secret and that inevitably led to me working it into continuity.

Once something is said or done, it cannot be unsaid or undone.

you can't put the shit back in the horse


kerta se on ensimmäinenkin

There's a first time for everything
there's a first time for everything


balda di khatz velt, di maüs tåntzan

Literally, “when the cat is missing, the mice dance”.

when the cat's away the mice will play
when the cat's away the mice will play

(Luserna) when the cat's away the mice will play


dar hummar iz dar peste khoch

hunger is a good sauce
hunger is a good sauce


head

a todo porquiño lle chega o seu San Martiño

Literally, “each little pig will have its Saint Martin's day”, when pigs are frequently slaughtered to salt and preserve their meat for the winter. Equivalent to German Jede Sau hat ihren Martinstag.

lit

(idiomatic) everyone, especially mean or evil people, at some point, meets his or her fate

a todo porco lle chega o seu San Martiño

a todo porquinho lhe chega o seu São Martinho

a todo porquinho lhe chega o seu Sam Martinho


cão que late não morde

barking dogs seldom bite
barking dogs seldom bite

barking dogs seldom bite (people who make big threats usually never carry them out)


quem corre cansa, quem anda alcança

Literally, “the one who runs, gets tired; the one who walks, reaches (his goal)”.

lit

slow and steady wins the race
slow and steady wins the race

slow and steady wins the race (slowness and patience are helpful for achieving a goal)


roupa suja se lava em casa

Literally, “dirty clothes should be washed at home”.

lit

don't wash your dirty linen in public
don't wash your dirty linen in public

don't wash your dirty linen in public; domestic or familiar affairs should be resolved internally, without bringing one's private problems to the attention of general society

em briga de marido e mulher ninguém mete a colher


quem tem boca vaia Roma

Literally, “those who have a mouth, blame Rome”. Meta-analysis from Portuguese quem tem boca vai a Roma.

everybody is entitled to criticize those in power


head

não se faz omelete sem se quebrar alguns ovos

Literally, “you can't make an omelete without crushing some eggs”.

lit

the end justifies the means
the end justifies the means


eine Schwalbe macht noch keinen Sommer

De-eine Schwalbe macht noch keinen Sommer.ogg

Literally, “one swallow still doesn't make a summer”, a calque of Ancient Greek μία χελιδὼν ἔαρ οὐ ποιεῖ (mía khelidṑn éar ou poieî, “one swallow does not make a spring”); the reference to summer instead of spring is shared with various other European languages (see the descendants at the Greek entry).

cal

μία χελιδὼν ἔαρ οὐ ποιεῖ

one swallow does not a summer make
one swallow does not a summer make


o hábito faz o monge

clothes maketh the man
clothes maketh the man


天助自助

ㄊㄧㄢ ㄓㄨˋ ㄗˋ ㄓㄨˋ

тяньчжуцзычжу

/tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹/

/tʰiːn⁵⁵ t͡sɔː²² t͡siː²² t͡sɔː²²/

/tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹/

/tʰiːn⁵⁵ t͡sɔː²² t͡siː²² t͡sɔː²²/

heaven helps those who help themselves
heaven helps those who help themselves


遠水救不了近火

ㄩㄢˇ ㄕㄨㄟˇ ㄐㄧㄡˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄌㄧㄠˇ ㄐㄧㄣˋ ㄏㄨㄛˇ

юаньшуйцзюбуляоцзиньхо

/ɥɛn²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ pu⁵¹ li̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕin⁵¹ xu̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/jyːn¹³ sɵy̯³⁵ kɐu̯³³ pɐt̚⁵ liːu̯¹³ kɐn²² fɔː³⁵/

遠水不救近火 遠水不救近火#Chinese

远水不救近火 远水不救近火#Chinese

Alternative form of 遠水不救近火／远水不救近火 (yuǎn shuǐ bù jiù jìn huǒ, “a slow remedy cannot resolve an emergency”)


遠水不救近火

远水不救近火
遠水救不了近火
遠水救不得近火

ㄩㄢˇ ㄕㄨㄟˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄐㄧㄡˋ ㄐㄧㄣˋ ㄏㄨㄛˇ

yuǎn shuǐ bù jiù jìn huǒ [Phonetic:yuánshuǐbújiùjìnhuǒ]

юань шуй бу цзю цзинь хо

/ɥɛn²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕin⁵¹ xu̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/jyːn¹³ sɵy̯³⁵ pɐt̚⁵ kɐu̯³³ kɐn²² fɔː³⁵/

/uan⁵³⁻⁴⁴ sui⁵³ put̚³²⁻⁴ kiu²¹⁻⁵³ kin²²⁻²¹ hɔ̃⁵³/

(figurative) a slow remedy cannot resolve an emergency


天助自助者

ㄊㄧㄢ ㄓㄨˋ ㄗˋ ㄓㄨˋ ㄓㄜˇ

тяньчжуцзычжучжэ

/tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡sz̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʈ͡ʂu⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/tʰiːn⁵⁵ t͡sɔː²² t͡siː²² t͡sɔː²² t͡sɛː³⁵/


恋に上下の隔てなし

ja-pos

こい に じょう%げ の へだて なし

恋(こい)に上(じょう)下(げ)の隔(へだ)てなし • (koi ni jōge no hedate nashi)

恋に上下の隔てなし (canonical)
koi ni jōge no hedate nashi (romanization)

Literally “no upper or lower distinction in love”.


غلطة الشاطر بألف

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غلطة الشاطر بألف

غلطة الشاطر بألف • (ḡaḷṭat iššāṭir b-alf)

/ʁəlˤtˤət ɪʃːɑːtˤɪr b əlf/

Literally: “the mistake of the cunning person (is multiplied) by a thousand"

a mistake when coming from a professional or a clever person, is more costly and harmful


من قال ها سمع

من قال ها سمع

من قال ها سمع • (min gāl hā simaʕ)

/mɪn ɡɑːl hɑː sɪməʕ/

Roughly "whoever says "huh" has indeed heard what was said"

-انتي الي كسرتي المنظرة؟
-ها؟!
-من قال ها سمع
-Are you the one who broke the mirror
-huh?!
-whoever says huh has indeed heard

a person who asks for repetition in surprise has indeed heard what was said


يجهز الدوا قبل الفلعة

يجهز الدوا قبل الفلعة

يجهز الدوا قبل الفلعة • (ijahhiz id-duwa gabḷil-falʕa)

ijahhiz id-duwa gabḷil-falʕa (romanization)

/ɪd͡ʒəhːɪz‿ɪdːʊwə ɡəblˤ‿ɪlfəlʕə/

someone who prepares for an event and take all precautions, often excessively, before something bad happens, if it does

someone who acts very swiftly to a change or an event, as if they prepared a response before the occurrence of the event

en-يجهز_الدوا_قبل_الفلعة-afb-proverb-mlSElx6-


الذيب ما يهرول عبث

الذيب ما يهرول عبث

الذيب ما يهرول عبث • (iḏḏīb mā-yharwil ʕabaṯ)

/ɪðːiːb mɑː‿jhərwɪl ʕəbəθ/

Literally: “The wolf does not scurry in vain"

A bad person does not do something arbitrarily and/or futilely, even if their action seems innocent or innocuous


سو خير وقطه بالبحر

سو خير وقطه بالبحر

سو خير وقطه بالبحر • (saw ḵēr-u giṭṭa b-il-baḥar)

saw ḵēr-u giṭṭa b-il-baḥar (romanization)

سو خير وقطه بحر
سو خير وقطه بحر#Gulf_Arabic

Alternative form of سو خير وقطه بحر (saw ḵēr-u giṭṭa baḥar)


the proof is in the eating

the proof of the pudding is in the eating#English

(less common) Alternative form of the proof of the pudding is in the eating


氷は水より出でて水よりも寒し

ja-pos

氷は水より出でて水よりも寒し

こおり は みず より いでて みず より も さむし

氷(こおり)は水(みず)より出(い)でて水(みず)よりも寒(さむ)し • (kōri wa mizu yori idete mizu yori mo samushi)

氷は水より出でて水よりも寒し (canonical)

From the 荀子 (Junji, “Xunzi”):
:
Literally “ice coming from water is colder than water”.
This proverb is not the exact kanbun kundoku form of the above Chinese text; the back-formation of this form in pseudo-kanbun would be 冰出於水，而寒於水 (compare 青出於藍，而青於藍).

The gentleman said: Learning must never cease. Blue is obtained from the indigo plant but is bluer than the plant itself; ice is made from water but is colder than water itself.

君子曰：學不可以已。青、取之於藍，而青於藍；冰、水為之，而寒於水。

君子曰：学不可以已。青、取之于蓝，而青于蓝；冰、水为之，而寒于水。

the student has surpassed his or her teacher


head

in het land der blinden is éénoog koning

/ɪn ɦɛt ˈlɑnt dɛr ˈblɪndə(n)ɪs ˈeːnoːx ˈkoːnɪŋ/

/ɪn(ɦ)ət ˈlɑnt dɛr ˈblɪndə(n)ɪs ˈeːnoːx ˈkoːnɪŋ/

in het land der blinden is eenoog koning#Dutch

Superseded spelling of in het land der blinden is eenoog koning.


سو خير وقطه بحر

سو خير وقطه بحر

سو خير وقطه بحر • (saw ḵēr-u giṭṭa baḥar)

/səw χeːr‿ʊ ɡitˤːə bəħər/

Literally: “Do good and throw it in the sea".

Do not brag about the good deeds that you have done


疑心暗鬼

疑心暗鬼 (canonical)
gishin'anki (romanization)

From Shiyou zazhi (師友雑志), a book by Song dynasty poet Lü Benzhong. "Suspicion begets monsters".

once you suspect something, everything else will look suspicious.


夕立は馬の背を分ける

ja-pos

ゆうだち は うま の せ を わける

夕(ゆう)立(だち)は馬(うま)の背(せ)を分(わ)ける • (yūdachi wa uma no se o wakeru)

夕立は馬の背を分ける (canonical)
yūdachi wa uma no se o wakeru (romanization)

Idiom consisting of 夕立 (“evening shower”) + は (“topic marker”) + 馬の背 (“horseback”) + を (“direct object marker”) + 分ける (“to divide”) Literally: the evening shower divided the horseback into two parts, one side that receives the rain but not the other side.

com

summer evening shower drenches one side of the street, leaving the other side dry.


一子錯，滿盤皆落索

ㄇㄢˇ ㄆㄢˊ ㄐㄧㄝ ㄌㄨㄛˋ ㄙㄨㄛˇ

маньпаньцзелосо

/i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡sʰu̯ɔ⁵¹ män²¹⁴⁻²¹ pʰän³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵ lu̯ɔ⁵¹ su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

jat⁷ dzi² tso³, mun⁵ pun⁴ gaai¹ lok⁹ sok⁸

/jɐt̚⁵ t͡siː³⁵ t͡sʰɔː³³ muːn¹³ pʰuːn²¹ kaːi̯⁵⁵ lɔːk̚² sɔːk̚³/

一著不慎，滿盤皆輸 一著不慎，滿盤皆輸#Chinese

一着不慎，满盘皆输 一着不慎，满盘皆输#Chinese

Synonym of 一著不慎，滿盤皆輸／一着不慎，满盘皆输 (“one careless move and the whole game is lost”)


head

sälj inte skinnet innan björnen är skjuten

From altered versions of Aesop's fable The Bear and the Travelers. Literally, "Don't sell the pelt before the bear is shot."

don't count your chickens before they're hatched

sälj inte skinnet förrän björnen är skjuten


ta inte ut segern i förskott

ta inte ut segern i förskott ("Don't assume victory in advance.")

(idiomatic) don't count your chickens before they're hatched.


智者千慮，必有一失

ㄓˋ ㄓㄜˇ ㄑㄧㄢ ㄌㄩˋ

чжичжэцяньлюй

/ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂɤ²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ ly⁵¹⁻⁵³ pi⁵¹ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ ʂʐ̩⁵⁵/

dzi³ dze² tsin¹ loey⁶, bit⁷ jau⁵ jat⁷ sat⁷

/t͡siː³³ t͡sɛː³⁵ t͡sʰiːn⁵⁵ lɵy̯²² piːt̚⁵ jɐu̯¹³ jɐt̚⁵ sɐt̚⁵/

Lord Guangwu (Li Zuoche) said, “I have heard a saying that a wise person may make mistakes after thinking thousand times; an unintelligent person may have some good ideas after thinking thousand times.”

The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

Guǎngwǔ jūn yuē: ‘Chén wén zhìzhěqiānlǜ，bìyǒuyīshī; yúzhěqiānlǜ，bìyǒuyīdé.’

廣武君曰：『臣聞智者千慮，必有一失；愚者千慮，必有一得。』

广武君曰：『臣闻智者千虑，必有一失；愚者千虑，必有一得。』

智者千虑，必有一失
智者千慮，或有一失

even the wise aren't always free from errors (even after making deep and careful consideration); even Homer nods


ma' min rajtek xebbahtek

Literally, “With whom I saw you, I compared you to”.

lit

birds of a feather flock together
birds of a feather flock together


bniedem dagħaj ftit idum ħaj

Bniedem dagħaj ftit idum ħaj (canonical)

A blasphemous or foulmouthed person won’t live long.


ennå er ikke alle jomsvikinger døde

From chapter 41 of The Saga of Olav Tryggvason.

(idiomatic) not all is lost yet, there is still hope


enno er ikkje alle jomsvikingar døde

From chapter 41 of Snorri's The Saga of Olav Tryggvason.


en-proverb

a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips

(dieting) Indulgence in food and drink gives a brief period of sensory pleasure but tends to increase one's body weight in the long term.


عدو عدوي صديقي

head

عَدُوُّ عَدُوِّي صَدِيقِي

عَدُوُّ عَدُوِّيَ صَدِيقِيَ

عَدُوُّ عَدُوِّي صَدِيقِي or عَدُوُّ عَدُوِّيَ صَدِيقِيَ • (ʕaduwwu ʕaduwwī ṣadīqī or ʕaduwwu ʕaduwwiya ṣadīqiya)

عَدُوُّ عَدُوِّ ي صَدِيقِي (canonical)
عَدُوُّ عَدُوِّ يَ صَدِيقِي َ (canonical)
ʕaduwwu ʕaduwwī ṣadīqī (romanization)
ʕaduwwu ʕaduwwiya ṣadīqiya (romanization)

the enemy of my enemy is my friend
the enemy of my enemy is my friend


逃げるが勝ち

逃げるが勝ち (canonical)
nigeru ga kachi (romanization)

From 逃げる (“to escape”) + が + 勝ち (“victory”).

The one that fights and runs away may live to fight another day; fleeing is winning


開卷有益

ㄎㄞ ㄐㄩㄢˋ ㄧㄡˇ ㄧˋ

/kʰaɪ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕy̯ɛn⁵¹ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵¹/

/hɔːi̯⁵⁵ kyːn³⁵ jɐu̯¹³ jɪk̚⁵/

/kʰaɪ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕy̯ɛn⁵¹ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ i⁵¹/

/hɔːi̯⁵⁵ kyːn³⁵ jɐu̯¹³ jɪk̚⁵/


un point fait à temps en épargne cent

/œ̃ pwɛ̃ fɛ.t‿a tɑ̃ ɑ̃.n‿e.paʁ.ɲ(ə) sɑ̃/

a stitch in time saves nine
a stitch in time saves nine


en-proverb

laugh before breakfast, cry before supper

It is unwise to be complacently happy because things may get worse.


après l'effort, le réconfort

après l’effort (canonical)
le réconfort (canonical)

LL-Q150 (fra)-Lepticed7-après l’effort, le réconfort.wav

LL-Q150 (fra)-LoquaxFR-après l’effort, le réconfort.wav

Compare English business before pleasure.

after effort comes comfort (once you've finished working, you can sit back and relax)


волкот влакно менува, нарав никогаш

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волкот влакно менува, нарав никогаш

волкот влакно менува, нарав никогаш • (volkot vlakno menuva, narav nikogaš)

volkot vlakno menuva (romanization)
narav nikogaš (romanization)

[ˈvɔɫkɔt ˈvɫaknɔ ˈmɛnuva | ˈnaɾav ˈnikɔɡaʃ]

Literally, “The wolf changes his hair, but never his disposition”. Compare Serbo-Croatian vuk dlaku mijenja, ali ćud nikada.

cog

a leopard cannot change its spots
a leopard cannot change its spots

the wolf may lose his teeth but never his nature, a leopard cannot change its spots

en-волкот_влакно_менува,_нарав_никогаш-mk-proverb-3S4UziP7


kũhũra maaĩ na ndĩrĩ

to flog a dead horse (lit. to pound water with a mortar)


食水果拜樹頭

to pay respect to the roots when one eats the fruit

/t͡sia(ʔ)⁴⁻²¹ t͡sui⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ kɤ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ pai²¹⁻⁴¹ t͡sʰiu³³⁻²¹ tʰau²³/

/t͡sia(ʔ)⁴⁻¹¹ t͡sui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ko⁵³⁻⁴⁴ pai¹¹⁻⁵³ t͡sʰiu³³⁻¹¹ tʰau²⁴/

/t͡sia(ʔ)⁴⁻²¹ t͡sui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ko⁵³⁻⁴⁴ pai²¹⁻⁵³ t͡sʰiu²²⁻²¹ tʰau²⁴/

食果子拜樹頭 食果子拜樹頭#Chinese

食果子拜树头 食果子拜树头#Chinese

Alternative form of 食果子拜樹頭／食果子拜树头 (“to remember where one's happiness comes from; to not forget one's roots or heritage”)


Vorsicht ist besser als Nachsicht

De-Vorsicht ist besser als Nachsicht.ogg

Literally, “caution is better than clemency”.

lit

better safe than sorry
better safe than sorry


physician, heal thyself

Calque of Ancient Greek ἰατρέ, θεράπευσον σεαυτόν (iatré, therápeuson seautón) and Latin medice, cūrā tē ipsum, from Luke 4:23.

clq

ἰατρέ, θεράπευσον σεαυτόν

“You are really as bad as Margaret,” she declared. “There is nothing the matter with me. You talk of ‘curing’ me as though I were ill. Physician, heal thyself.”

Attend to your own defects before presuming to advise others about theirs.

people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones


head

lasitalossa asuvan ei pitäisi heitellä kiviä

people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones


you only live once

you only go around once
you only go around once#English

Alternative form of you only go around once


you only go around once

Young men washed in the ecstasy of macho male companionship rode a jeep through barren country and embraced at a bar piled up with beer cans. "You only go around once," the announcer said.

1979, Kate Braverman, chapter 3, in Lithium for Medea: A Novel, published 2011, →ISBN:

"Thank God I'm here. I figure you should play as long as you can because you only go around once, and I know it."

1986 May 5, Heidi Evans, “The 55-and-Over Crowd Pops Up at the Ballpark for Senior League Softball”, in Los Angeles Times, retrieved 2020-05-09:

"Two years ago when I first heard of the Ferrari Challenge I never would have thought I would be doing something like this," said Mr. McCormick, president of First Manhattan Consulting Group in Manhattan. "Then I turned 48 and said, 'You only go around once.'"

1996 October 13, James V. O'Connor, “With a Dream (and a Ferrari), An Executive Takes Up Racing”, in New York Times, retrieved 2020-05-09:

The agency boosted Schlitz's name recognition with the "Gusto" campaign. Consumers […] were even reminded that "You only go around once in life: go for all the gusto you can."

2015, John McDonough, Karen Egolf, The Advertising Age Encyclopedia of Advertising, →ISBN, page 1403:

A person has only one lifetime, and should therefore take every opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of experiences in order to maximize their achievements and satisfaction.


el que tiene boca, se equivoca

[el ke ˌt̪je.ne ˌβ̞o.ka | se e.kiˈβ̞o.ka]

quien tiene boca, se equivoca
quien tiene boca, se equivoca#Spanish

Alternative form of quien tiene boca, se equivoca


欲嫁才縛跤

欲嫁才缚跤
要嫁則縛腳
要嫁才縛腳

to bind one's feet just before one gets married

/be(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ ke¹¹ t͡sia(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ pak̚⁴⁻³² kʰa⁴⁴/

/be(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ ke²¹ t͡sia(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ pak̚⁴⁻³² kʰa⁴⁴/

/be(ʔ)³²⁻⁴¹ ke²¹ t͡sia(ʔ)³²⁻⁴¹ pak̚⁴⁻³² kʰa⁴⁴/

(Hokkien) to fail to make a timely preparation; to do something at the last minute


明槍易擋，暗箭難防

Overt lance [is] easy to ward off, hidden arrow [is] hard to guard against

ming⁴ coeng¹ ji⁶ dong², am³ zin³ naan⁴ fong⁴

mìhng chēung yih dóng, am jin nàahn fòhng

ming⁴ tsoeng¹ ji⁶ dong², am³ dzin³ naan⁴ fong⁴

ming⁴ cêng¹ yi⁶ dong², em³ jin³ nan⁴ fong⁴

/mɪŋ²¹ t͡sʰœːŋ⁵⁵ jiː²² tɔːŋ³⁵ ɐm³³ t͡siːn³³ naːn²¹ fɔːŋ²¹/

明槍易躲，暗箭難防 明槍易躲，暗箭難防#Chinese

明枪易躲，暗箭难防 明枪易躲，暗箭难防#Chinese

(Cantonese) Synonym of 明槍易躲，暗箭難防／明枪易躲，暗箭难防 (míngqiāng yì duǒ, ànjiàn nán fáng, “It is easy to dodge an open attack, but difficult to defend against a concealed one.”)


беспла́тный сыр быва́ет то́лько в мышело́вке • (besplátnyj syr byvájet tólʹko v myšelóvke)

[bʲɪˈspɫatnɨj sɨr bɨˈva(j)ɪt ˈtolʲkə v‿mɨʂɨˈɫofkʲe]

Literally, “free cheese happens only in a mouse-trap”.

lit

бесплатный сыр бывает только в мышеловке

there's no such thing as a free lunch
there's no such thing as a free lunch

you don't get something for nothing
you don't get something for nothing

there's no such thing as a free lunch; you don't get something for nothing

en-бесплатный_сыр_бывает_только_в_мышеловке-ru-proverb-kKSkICSm


走甲離褲跤

/t͡sau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ka(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ li³³⁻¹¹ kʰɔ¹¹⁻⁵³ kʰa⁴⁴/

/t͡sau⁴²⁻²⁴ ka(ʔ)³²⁻⁴² li²²⁻²¹ kʰɔ²¹⁻⁴² kʰa⁴⁴/

/t͡sau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ka(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ li²²⁻²¹ kʰɔ²¹⁻⁵³ kʰa⁴⁴/

/t͡sau⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ ka(ʔ)³²⁻⁴¹ li³³⁻²¹ kʰɔ²¹⁻⁴¹ kʰa⁴⁴/

走甲裂褲跤 走甲裂褲跤#Chinese

走甲裂裤跤 走甲裂裤跤#Chinese

(Hokkien) Alternative form of 走甲裂褲跤／走甲裂裤跤 (“to flee after being defeated”)


大鼎炒狗蟻

/tua²²⁻²¹ tiã⁵³ t͡sʰa⁵³⁻⁴⁴ kau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ hia²²/

/tua⁴¹⁻²² tiã⁵⁵⁴ t͡sʰa⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ kau⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ hia⁴¹/

/tua³³⁻¹¹ tiã⁵³ t͡sʰa⁵³⁻⁴⁴ kau⁵³⁻⁴⁴ hia³³/

/tua³³⁻²¹ tiã⁴¹ t͡sʰa⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ kau⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ hia³³/


head

sodassa ja rakkaudessa kaikki on sallittua

Literally, “in war and love everything is permitted”.

lit

all's fair in love and war
all's fair in love and war


馬路如虎口

ㄇㄚˇ ㄌㄨˋ ㄖㄨˊ ㄏㄨˇ ㄎㄡˇ

малу жу хукоу

/mä²¹⁴⁻²¹ lu⁵¹ ʐu³⁵ xu²¹⁴⁻³⁵ kʰoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/maː¹³ lou̯²² jyː²¹ fuː³⁵ hɐu̯³⁵/

/maː¹³ lou̯²² jyː²¹ fuː³⁵ hɐu̯³⁵/

Roads are as dangerous as a tiger's mouth; Follow traffic rules and cross the road safely


一瞬先は闇

ja-pos

いっしゅん さき は やみ

一(いっ)瞬(しゅん)先(さき)は闇(やみ) • (isshun saki wa yami)

一瞬先は闇 (canonical)
isshun saki wa yami (romanization)

[iɕːɨɰ̃ sa̠kʲi β̞a̠ ja̠mʲi]

一(いっ)瞬(しゅん) (isshun, “moment”) + 先(さき) (saki, “ahead”) + は (ha, topic marker) + 闇(やみ) (yami, “dark”).

com-ja

一寸先は闇 一寸先は闇#Japanese

Eggcorn of 一寸先は闇 (issun saki wa yami, “unpredictable”).


君子の交わりは淡きこと水の如し

ja-pos

くんし の まじわり は あわき こと みず の ごとし

君(くん)子(し)の交(まじ)わりは淡(あわ)きこと水(みず)の如(ごと)し • (kunshi no majiwari wa awaki koto mizu no gotoshi)

君子の交わりは淡きこと水の如し (canonical)

Calque of Literary Chinese 君子之交淡如水 (jūnzǐ zhī jiāo dàn rú shuǐ) from Zhuangzi:
Can be analyzed as follow: 君子 (“man of virtue”) + の + 交わり (“friendship”) + は + 淡き (“flavorless”) + こと + 水 (“water”) + の + 如し (“like”).

calque

くんしのまじわりはあわきことみずのごとし

com

The friendship between men of virtue is clear like water (of no flavor, but free of harmful substances -- i.e. self-interest). The friendship between lesser men is sweet like wine (lacking true substance).

君子之交淡如水，小人之交甘若醴。

true friendship between two people of accomplishment needs not be overly demonstrative


うかうか三十きょろきょろ四十

ja-pos

うかうか さんじゅう きょろきょろ しじゅう

うかうか三(さん)十(じゅう)きょろきょろ四(し)十(じゅう) • (ukauka sanjū kyorokyoro shijū)

うかうか三十きょろきょろ四十 (canonical)
ukauka sanjū kyorokyoro shijū (romanization)

Consisting of うかうか + 三十 + きょろきょろ + 四十. Literally "muddle along at age of thirty, (then) restless at forty."

com

うかうか + 三十 + きょろきょろ + 四十

(idiomatic) living a life without achieving anything great


jäljet johtavat sylttytehtaaseen

Literally, “the trail leads to the head cheese factory”. From a headline published by the newspaper Ajan Sana concerning the 1931/32 Tattarisuo mystery in which human body parts were discovered in a spring in Malmi, Helsinki. Contrary to actual use of the phrase, the head cheese factory was not involved in the matter in any way and successfully sued for libel.

lit

alluding to leads pointing to an obvious suspect


saman sənin deyil, samanlıq ki sənindir

LL-Q9292 (aze)-Azerbaijani audiorecordings-saman sənin deyil, samanlıq ki sənindir.wav

Literally, "The straw may be someone else's, but the straw shed is still yours".

Don't overeat yourself just because the food is free/cheap.


馬の背を分ける

ja-pos

うま の せ を わける

馬(うま)の背(せ)を分(わ)ける • (uma no se o wakeru)

馬の背を分ける (canonical)
uma no se o wakeru (romanization)

夕立は馬の背を分ける 夕立は馬の背を分ける#Japanese


o que non sabe é como o que non ve

—É ben verdade que o que non sabe é coma o que non ve. Probes de nós, que vivimos eiquí, no cabo do mundo

1956, Anxel Fole, Terra brava: contos da Solaina:

"It's true that the one that doesn't know is like the own that doesn't see. Poor of us, who live here, by the end of the world"

(idiomatic) "The one that doesn't know is like the one that doesn't see" (so, lack of knowledge is a handicap)


人多好辦事

ㄖㄣˊ ㄉㄨㄛ ㄏㄠˇ ㄅㄢˋ ㄕˋ

жэньдохаобаньши

/ʐən³⁵ tu̯ɔ⁵⁵ xɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ pän⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹/

/jɐn²¹ tɔː⁵⁵ hou̯³⁵ paːn²² siː²²/

/jɐn²¹ tɔː⁵⁵ hou̯³⁵ paːn²² siː²²/

many hands make light work
many hands make light work

many hands make light work; a task is easier to accomplish when many people work together


人多手腳亂

ㄖㄣˊ ㄉㄨㄛ ㄕㄡˇ ㄐㄧㄠˇ ㄌㄨㄢˋ

жэньдошоуцзяолуань

/ʐən³⁵ tu̯ɔ⁵⁵ ʂoʊ̯²¹⁴⁻³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ lu̯än⁵¹/

/jɐn²¹ tɔː⁵⁵ sɐu̯³⁵ kœːk̚³ lyːn²²/

/jɐn²¹ tɔː⁵⁵ sɐu̯³⁵ kœːk̚³ lyːn²²/

too many cooks spoil the broth
too many cooks spoil the broth

too many cooks spoil the broth; too many people being involved in a task leads to chaos


burunyog, dai kayang matanyog

united we stand, divided we fall
united we stand, divided we fall


tiền nào của đó

[tiən˨˩ naːw˨˩ kuə˧˩ ʔɗɔ˧˦]

[tiəŋ˦˩ naːw˦˩ kuə˧˨ ʔɗɔ˨˩˦]

[tiəŋ˨˩ naːw˨˩ kuə˨˩˦ ʔɗɔ˦˥]

tiền (“money”) + nào (“any”) + của (“property”) + đó (“that”)

compound

(literally) However much money there is, there is property to go with it.

you get what you pay for
you get what you pay for


đời cha ăn mặn, đời con khát nước

[ʔɗəːj˨˩ t͡ɕaː˧˧ ʔan˧˧ man˧˨ʔ ʔɗəːj˨˩ kɔn˧˧ xaːt̚˧˦ nɨək̚˧˦]

[ʔɗəːj˦˩ t͡ɕaː˧˧ ʔaŋ˧˧ maŋ˨˩ʔ ʔɗəːj˦˩ kɔŋ˧˧ kʰaːk̚˦˧˥ nɨək̚˦˧˥]

[ʔɗəːj˦˩ t͡ɕaː˧˧ ʔaŋ˧˧ maŋ˨˩ʔ ʔɗəːj˦˩ kɔŋ˧˧ xaːk̚˦˧˥ nɨək̚˦˧˥]

[ʔɗəːj˨˩ caː˧˧ ʔaŋ˧˧ maŋ˨˩˨ ʔɗəːj˨˩ kɔŋ˧˧ kʰaːk̚˦˥ nɨək̚˦˥]

[ʔɗəːj˨˩ caː˧˧ ʔaŋ˧˧ maŋ˨˩˨ ʔɗəːj˨˩ kɔŋ˧˧ xaːk̚˦˥ nɨək̚˦˥]

đời (“generation”) + cha (“father”) + ăn mặn (“to eat salty food”) + đời + con (“child”) + khát (“thirst”) + nước (“water”).

af

(literally) When the father's generation eats salty food, the children's generation thirsts for water.

What goes around comes around
what goes around comes around


opinions are like assholes

Shortened from "Opinions are like assholes; everybody has one"; "Opinions are like assholes; everybody has one and they usually stink"; "Opinions are like assholes: everybody's got one, and everybody thinks theirs smells nicer than everyone else's"; or some variant of the three.

“Opinions are like assholes,” Tipsy began again. “That would be correct,” Few confirmed acidly. “It's an understatement, too.” “Some people have more than one asshole?” Tipsy asked naively. “Okay. Okay.” Quentin placed both his hands ...

2010, Jim Nisbet, Windward Passage: A Novel, Abrams, →ISBN:

Opinions are like assholes and that's all I see. Ya you're so picture perfect. How's it feel to be perfect. Ya you're perfect. Picture perfect to me. What you got comes in a small pill. Pretty sure I've had my fill.

2011, Michelle Hutchinson, O for the Love of God, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN, page 25:

Opinions are like assholes, and there are way too many assholes out there. Call me what you will, but I'll call you what you are. The best way to live is to deserve each day. A born loser isn't just someone who's been desperate for some ...

2018, Colin Honert, MindSpring, Dog Ear Publishing, →ISBN, page 391:

“The shit just got so stupid, and of course Gil kept saying the same thing he always says about this kind of thing: “'Opinions are like assholes...'” “You never know what you're gonna get?” This time they all laughed a little.

[2019, Mathew Klickstein, Selling Nostalgia: A Neurotic Novel, Permuted Press+ORM, →ISBN:

“Don't you mean, 'Opinions are like assholes'?” “No, 'shit'. They run too freely from careless openings.” “That's...not a saying.” “No?” Monty chuckled. “You sure?” He sighed. “Anyway, Hitler had opinions. That guy in Wolf Creek had ...

[2020, Jason Parent, The Apocalypse Strain, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN:

(Canada, US, idiomatic, usually derogatory, vulgar) Everyone has opinions, and most people's opinions are of exceedingly poor quality.


en-proverb

where you stand depends on where you sit

Attributed to US government administrator and author Rufus Miles.

One's position in an organization dictates one's stance on an issue.


you pays your nickel and you takes your chances

you pays your money and you takes your chances#English

Alternative form of you pays your money and you takes your chances


you pays your nickel and you takes your choice

you pays your money and you takes your choice#English

Alternative form of you pays your money and you takes your choice


無毒不丈夫

ㄨˊ ㄉㄨˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓㄤˋ ㄈㄨ

wúdú bù zhàngfū [Phonetic:wúdú bú zhàngfū]

уду бу чжанфу

/u³⁵ tu³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑŋ⁵¹ fu⁵⁵/

/mou̯²¹ tʊk̚² pɐt̚⁵ t͡sœːŋ²² fuː⁵⁵/

/u³⁵ tu³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɑŋ⁵¹ fu⁵⁵/

/mou̯²¹ tʊk̚² pɐt̚⁵ t͡sœːŋ²² fuː⁵⁵/

Unknown. Attested since the Yuan Dynasty. Sometimes believed to be a corruption of 無度不丈夫 (“A great man should be able to forgive”), but this is likely a folk etymology.

zh-l

A great man will not refuse to do something vicious, cruel or immoral when it is necessary.


head

cuando el gato no está, los ratones bailan

/ˌkwando el ˌɡato ˌno esˌta | los raˌtones ˈbailan/

[ˌkwãn̪.d̪o el ˌɣ̞a.t̪o ˌno esˌt̪a | loz raˌt̪o.nez ˈβ̞ai̯.lãn]

when the cat's away the mice will play
when the cat's away the mice will play


cada maestrillo tiene su librillo

[ˌka.ð̞a ma.esˌt̪ɾi.ʝo ˌt̪je.ne su liˈβ̞ɾi.ʝo]

[ˌka.ð̞a ma.esˌt̪ɾi.ʎo ˌt̪je.ne su liˈβ̞ɾi.ʎo]

[ˌka.ð̞a ma.esˌt̪ɾi.ʃo ˌt̪je.ne su liˈβ̞ɾi.ʃo]

[ˌka.ð̞a ma.esˌt̪ɾi.ʒo ˌt̪je.ne su liˈβ̞ɾi.ʒo]

there are many ways to skin a cat
there are many ways to skin a cat


wszędzie dobrze, ale w domu najlepiej

/ˈfʂɛɲ.d͡ʑɛ ˈdɔb.ʐɛ ˈa.lɛ ˈvdɔ.mu najˈlɛ.pjɛj/

Literally, “everywhere, it is good, but it is best at home”.

lit

there's no place like home
there's no place like home

wszędzie jest dobrze, ale w domu najlepiej


en-proverb

if wishes were horses, beggars might ride

if wishes were horses, beggars would ride#English

Alternative form of if wishes were horses, beggars would ride


sitä niittää mitä kylvää

you reap what you sow
you reap what you sow


short accounts make long friends

short reckonings make long friends#English

Alternative form of short reckonings make long friends.


wszystkie drogi prowadzą do Rzymu

/ˈfʂɘs.tkjɛ ˈdrɔ.ɡi prɔˈva.d͡zɔw̃ dɔ ˈʐɘ.mu/

all roads lead to Rome
all roads lead to Rome

(idiomatic) all roads lead to Rome (different paths can take one to the same goal)


syvissä vesissä ne isot kalat uivat

"in deep waters do the large fish swim" (literally)

still waters run deep
still waters run deep


夫婦喧嘩は犬も食わない

ja-pos

ふうふ-げんか は いぬ も くわない

夫(ふう)婦(ふ)喧(げん)嘩(か)は犬(いぬ)も食(く)わない • (fūfu-genka wa inu mo kuwanai)

夫婦喧嘩は犬も食わない (canonical)
fūfu-genka wa inu mo kuwanai (romanization)

[ɸɯ̟ːɸɯ̟ɡẽ̞ŋka̠ β̞a̠ inɯ̟ mo̞ kɯ̟β̞a̠na̠i]

Composed of 夫婦喧嘩 (fūfu-genka, “married couple fight, argument, row”) + は (wa, topic particle) + 犬 (inu, “dog”) + も (mo, “even, also”, inclusive particle) + 食わない (kuwanai, “not eat; not take on”, informal; negative form of 食う (kuu)). Literally, "even dogs wouldn't eat a marital dispute", referring to the fact that dogs are thought to eat virtually anything.

“even dogs wouldn't eat a marital dispute” → you should not interfere in a marital dispute


حوتة واحدة كتخنز الشواري

head

حوتة واحدة كتخنز الشواري

حوتة واحدة كتخنز الشواري • (ḥūta waḥda katḵannaz eš-šwāri)

ḥūta waḥda katḵannaz eš-šwāri (romanization)

Literally “A single fish makes the panniers stink”.

one bad fish can spoil the whole pond
one bad fish can spoil the whole pond

en-حوتة_واحدة_كتخنز_الشواري-ary-proverb-WIAUCz1R


te casaste, la cagaste

Literally, “you got married, you screwed up”.


平時不燒香，臨時抱佛腳

to not burn incense regularly, but only clasp the Buddha's feet when something happens

ㄆㄧㄥˊ ㄕˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄕㄠ ㄒㄧㄤ

ㄌㄧㄣˊ ㄕˊ ㄅㄠˋ ㄈㄛˊ ㄐㄧㄠˇ

ping⁴ si⁴ bat¹ siu¹ hoeng¹, lam⁴ si⁴ pou⁵ fat⁶ goek³

пинши бу шаосян

линьши бао фоцзяо

/pʰiŋ³⁵ ʂʐ̩³⁵ pu⁵¹ ʂɑʊ̯⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ lin³⁵ ʂʐ̩³⁵ pɑʊ̯⁵¹ fu̯ɔ³⁵ t͡ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

pìhng sìh bāt sīu hēung, làhm sìh póuh faht geuk

ping⁴ si⁴ bat⁷ siu¹ hoeng¹, lam⁴ si⁴ pou⁵ fat⁹ goek⁸

ping⁴ xi⁴ bed¹ xiu¹ hêng¹, lem⁴ xi⁴ pou⁵ fed⁶ gêg³

/pʰɪŋ²¹ siː²¹ pɐt̚⁵ siːu̯⁵⁵ hœːŋ⁵⁵ lɐm²¹ siː²¹ pʰou̯¹³ fɐt̚² kœːk̚³/

to not make adequate preparations beforehand and do something hurriedly only at the last minute


ยิ่งสูงยิ่งหนาว

th-proverb

ยิ่งสูงยิ่งหนาว • (yîng-sǔung-yîng-nǎao)

/jiŋ˥˩.suːŋ˩˩˦.jiŋ˥˩.naːw˩˩˦/

ยิ่ง (yîng, “more, increasingly”) + สูง (sǔung, “high”) + ยิ่ง (yîng, “more, increasingly”) + หนาว (nǎao, “cold”). Lit. "the higher the colder."

com

it's lonely at the top
it's lonely at the top


hätä keinot keksii

necessity is the mother of invention
necessity is the mother of invention

desperate times call for desperate measures


head

comhairle do dhuine glic, slat do dhruim an amadain

a nod is as good as a wink
a nod is as good as a wink

a nod is as good as a wink (literally "advice to a wise man, stick to the back of the fool")


実るほど頭の下がる稲穂かな

ja-pos

みのる ほど あたま の さがる いなほ かな

実(みの)るほど頭(あたま)の下(さ)がる稲(いな)穂(ほ)かな • (minoru hodo atama no sagaru inaho kana)

実るほど頭の下がる稲穂かな (canonical)
minoru hodo atama no sagaru inaho kana (romanization)

Consisting of 実る + ほど + 頭 + の + 下がる + 稲穂 + かな, literally "the boughs that bear most hang lowest"

com

実る + ほど + 頭 + の + 下がる + 稲穂 + かな


仙人拍鼓有時錯，跤步踏差啥人無

head

仙人拍鼓有時錯，跤步踏差啥人無

仙人拍鼓有时错，跤步踏差啥人无

The gods can beat drums incorrectly sometimes- who has never taken a wrong step?

/siɛn⁴⁴⁻³³ zin²³⁻³³ pʰa(ʔ)³²⁻⁴¹ kɔ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ iu⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ si²³⁻³³ t͡sʰɤ²¹ kʰa⁴⁴⁻³³ pɔ³³⁻²¹ ta(ʔ)⁴⁻²¹ t͡sʰa⁴⁴⁻³³ siã⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ laŋ²³⁻³³ bɤ²³/


Roomaa ei rakennettu yhdessä päivässä

ei Roomaakaan päivässä rakennettu#Finnish

Alternative form of ei Roomaakaan päivässä rakennettu


一筋縄では行かぬ

ja-pos

ひとすじなわ で は いかぬ

一(ひと)筋(すじ)縄(なわ)では行(い)かぬ • (hitosujinawa de wa ikanu)

一筋縄では行かぬ (canonical)
hitosujinawa de wa ikanu (romanization)

一筋縄では行かない 一筋縄では行かない#Japanese

Alternative form of 一筋縄では行かない (hitosujinawa de wa ikanai)


en-proverb

it is better to travel hopefully than to arrive

The journey or process is more important or more enjoyable than the destination or end result.


病は気から

病は気から (canonical)
yamai wa ki kara (romanization)

com

病 + は + 気 + から

sickness and health start with the mind; one can become better or worse due to the state of mind


酒は百薬の長

ja-pos

さけ は ひゃくやく の ちょう

酒(さけ)は百(ひゃく)薬(やく)の長(ちょう) • (sake wa hyakuyaku no chō)

酒は百薬の長 (canonical)
sake wa hyakuyaku no chō (romanization)

Compound of 酒 + は + 百薬 + の + 長, literally "sake is the best medicine"

com

酒 + は + 百薬 + の + 長

good wine makes good blood; sake is the best of all medicines; drinking a moderate amount of alcohol is better than medicine


腹八分目に医者要らず

ja-pos

はら はちぶん め に いしゃ いらず

腹(はら)八(はち)分(ぶん)目(め)に医(い)者(しゃ)要(い)らず • (hara hachibun me ni isha irazu)

腹八分目に医者要らず (canonical)
hara hachibun me ni isha irazu (romanization)

Compound of 腹 + 八分 + 目 + に + 医者 + 要らず (“negative continuative form of the verb 要(い)る (iru)”), literally "one need not to see doctor if eating only 80% full"

com

暴飲暴食

暴飲暴食 ぼういんぼうしょく


林子大了，什麼鳥都有

As a forest gets big, it will have all kinds of birds.

ㄌㄧㄣˊ ˙ㄗ ㄉㄚˋ ˙ㄌㄜ

ㄕㄣˊ ˙ㄇㄜ ㄋㄧㄠˇ ㄉㄡ ㄧㄡˇ

линьцзы да лэ

шэньмэ няо доу ю

/lin³⁵ d͡z̥z̩³ tä⁵¹ lə¹ ʂən³⁵ mə³ ni̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ toʊ̯⁵⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

there are all kinds of people in a large community


más cornadas da el hambre

Literally, “hunger hurts more than a bull's goring”. A popular phrase by Manolete, a Spanish bullfighter and folk hero from the late 19th century.


欺山莫欺水

ㄑㄧ ㄕㄢ ㄇㄛˋ ㄑㄧ ㄕㄨㄟˇ

цишаньмоцишуй

/t͡ɕʰi⁵⁵ ʂän⁵⁵ mu̯ɔ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi⁵⁵ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/hei̯⁵⁵ saːn⁵⁵ mɔːk̚² hei̯⁵⁵ sɵy̯³⁵/

/hei̯⁵⁵ saːn⁵⁵ mɔːk̚² hei̯⁵⁵ sɵy̯³⁵/

Rather climb a mountain than swim or play in the water; i.e. better the Devil you know, alluding to the fact that when climbing a mountain, all dangers are clearly visible but when swimming, there may be invisible dangers lurking.


君子愛財，取之有道

ㄐㄩㄣ ㄗˇ ㄞˋ ㄘㄞˊ

ㄑㄩˇ ㄓ ㄧㄡˇ ㄉㄠˋ

цзюньцзыайцай

/t͡ɕyn⁵⁵ t͡sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ ˀaɪ̯⁵¹ t͡sʰaɪ̯³⁵ t͡ɕʰy²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ tɑʊ̯⁵¹/

gwan¹ dzi² oi³ tsoi⁴, tsoey² dzi¹ jau⁵ dou⁶

/kʷɐn⁵⁵ t͡siː³⁵ ɔːi̯³³ t͡sʰɔːi̯²¹ t͡sʰɵy̯³⁵ t͡siː⁵⁵ jɐu̯¹³ tou̯²²/

A virtuous man makes his fortune in a proper way; Acquire wealth in an upright and just way