"a picture is worth a thousand words" meaning in English

See a picture is worth a thousand words in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Proverb

Etymology: Popularized following a 1911 speech given by Arthur Brisbane where he encouraged advertisers "Use a picture. It's worth a thousand words." By 1915, the phrase in its modern form is attested. A number of other phrases expressing the same idea are are attested throughout the 1800s. Head templates: {{head|en|proverb}} a picture is worth a thousand words
  1. A visualisation is a better description than a verbal description. Wikipedia link: Arthur Brisbane, Fred R. Shapiro, Quote Investigator, Wolfgang Mieder Categories (topical): Thousand, Visualization Synonyms: a picture paints a thousand words Translations (visualisation is better than verbal description): ⁧صُورَة تُسَاوِي أَلْف كَلِمَة⁩ (alt: ṣūra(t) tusāwī ʔalf kalima) (Arabic), una imatge val més que mil paraules (Catalan), 百聞不如一見 (Chinese Mandarin), 百闻不如一见 (bǎi wén bùrú yī jiàn) (Chinese Mandarin), 一幅畫能畫出千言萬語 (Chinese Mandarin), 一幅画能画出千言万语 (yī fú huà néng huà chū qiānyánwànyǔ) (Chinese Mandarin), et billede siger mere end tusind ord (Danish), een afbeelding zegt meer dan duizend woorden (Dutch), yksi kuva kertoo enemmän kuin tuhat sanaa (Finnish), une image vaut mille mots (French), ასჯერ გაგონილს ერთხელ ნანახი ჯობიაო (asǯer gagonils ertxel nanaxi ǯobiao) (Georgian), ein Bild sagt mehr als tausend Worte (German), un'immagine vale più di mille parole (Italian), 百聞は一見に如かず (hyakubun wa ikken ni shikazu) (alt: ひゃくぶんはいっけんにしかず) (Japanese), 백문불여일견 (baengmun buryeo ilgyeon) (alt: 百聞不如一見) (Korean), една слика вреди илјада збора (edna slika vredi iljada zbora) (Macedonian), et bilde sier mer enn tusen ord (Norwegian Bokmål), eit bilde seier meir enn tusen ord (Norwegian Nynorsk), jeden obraz jest wart więcej niż tysiąc słów (Polish), uma imagem vale mais que mil palavras (Portuguese), o pictură spune mai mult decât o mie de vorbe (Romanian), лу́чше оди́н раз уви́деть, чем сто раз услы́шать (lúčše odín raz uvídetʹ, čem sto raz uslýšatʹ) (Russian), slika pove več kot tisoč besed (Slovene), una imagen vale más que mil palabras (Spanish), en bild säger mer än tusen ord (Swedish), bir resim bin kelimeye bedeldir (Turkish), trăm nghe không bằng mắt thấy (Vietnamese), yo resım hendê hezar çekuyo (Zazaki)

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for a picture is worth a thousand words meaning in English (6.8kB)

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  "etymology_templates": [],
  "etymology_text": "Popularized following a 1911 speech given by Arthur Brisbane where he encouraged advertisers \"Use a picture. It's worth a thousand words.\" By 1915, the phrase in its modern form is attested. A number of other phrases expressing the same idea are are attested throughout the 1800s.",
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        "A visualisation is a better description than a verbal description."
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      "id": "en-a_picture_is_worth_a_thousand_words-en-proverb-GRIgpTVP",
      "links": [
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      "synonyms": [
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          "word": "a picture paints a thousand words"
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      "translations": [
        {
          "alt": "ṣūra(t) tusāwī ʔalf kalima",
          "code": "ar",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "⁧صُورَة تُسَاوِي أَلْف كَلِمَة⁩"
        },
        {
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "una imatge val més que mil paraules"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "百聞不如一見"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "bǎi wén bùrú yī jiàn",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "百闻不如一见"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "一幅畫能畫出千言萬語"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "yī fú huà néng huà chū qiānyánwànyǔ",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "一幅画能画出千言万语"
        },
        {
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "et billede siger mere end tusind ord"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "een afbeelding zegt meer dan duizend woorden"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "yksi kuva kertoo enemmän kuin tuhat sanaa"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "une image vaut mille mots"
        },
        {
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "asǯer gagonils ertxel nanaxi ǯobiao",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "ასჯერ გაგონილს ერთხელ ნანახი ჯობიაო"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "ein Bild sagt mehr als tausend Worte"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "un'immagine vale più di mille parole"
        },
        {
          "alt": "ひゃくぶんはいっけんにしかず",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "hyakubun wa ikken ni shikazu",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "百聞は一見に如かず"
        },
        {
          "alt": "百聞不如一見",
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "baengmun buryeo ilgyeon",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "백문불여일견"
        },
        {
          "code": "mk",
          "lang": "Macedonian",
          "roman": "edna slika vredi iljada zbora",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "една слика вреди илјада збора"
        },
        {
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "et bilde sier mer enn tusen ord"
        },
        {
          "code": "nn",
          "lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "eit bilde seier meir enn tusen ord"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "jeden obraz jest wart więcej niż tysiąc słów"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "uma imagem vale mais que mil palavras"
        },
        {
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "o pictură spune mai mult decât o mie de vorbe"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "lúčše odín raz uvídetʹ, čem sto raz uslýšatʹ",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "лу́чше оди́н раз уви́деть, чем сто раз услы́шать"
        },
        {
          "code": "sl",
          "lang": "Slovene",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "slika pove več kot tisoč besed"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "una imagen vale más que mil palabras"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "en bild säger mer än tusen ord"
        },
        {
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "bir resim bin kelimeye bedeldir"
        },
        {
          "code": "vi",
          "lang": "Vietnamese",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "trăm nghe không bằng mắt thấy"
        },
        {
          "code": "zza",
          "lang": "Zazaki",
          "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
          "word": "yo resım hendê hezar çekuyo"
        }
      ],
      "wikipedia": [
        "Arthur Brisbane",
        "Fred R. Shapiro",
        "Quote Investigator",
        "Wolfgang Mieder"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "a picture is worth a thousand words"
}
{
  "etymology_templates": [],
  "etymology_text": "Popularized following a 1911 speech given by Arthur Brisbane where he encouraged advertisers \"Use a picture. It's worth a thousand words.\" By 1915, the phrase in its modern form is attested. A number of other phrases expressing the same idea are are attested throughout the 1800s.",
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        "1": "en",
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      "expansion": "a picture is worth a thousand words",
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        "A visualisation is a better description than a verbal description."
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        "Fred R. Shapiro",
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        "Wolfgang Mieder"
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    {
      "word": "a picture paints a thousand words"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "alt": "ṣūra(t) tusāwī ʔalf kalima",
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "⁧صُورَة تُسَاوِي أَلْف كَلِمَة⁩"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "una imatge val més que mil paraules"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "百聞不如一見"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "bǎi wén bùrú yī jiàn",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "百闻不如一见"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "一幅畫能畫出千言萬語"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "yī fú huà néng huà chū qiānyánwànyǔ",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "一幅画能画出千言万语"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "et billede siger mere end tusind ord"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "een afbeelding zegt meer dan duizend woorden"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "yksi kuva kertoo enemmän kuin tuhat sanaa"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "une image vaut mille mots"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "asǯer gagonils ertxel nanaxi ǯobiao",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "ასჯერ გაგონილს ერთხელ ნანახი ჯობიაო"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "ein Bild sagt mehr als tausend Worte"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "un'immagine vale più di mille parole"
    },
    {
      "alt": "ひゃくぶんはいっけんにしかず",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "hyakubun wa ikken ni shikazu",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "百聞は一見に如かず"
    },
    {
      "alt": "百聞不如一見",
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "baengmun buryeo ilgyeon",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "백문불여일견"
    },
    {
      "code": "mk",
      "lang": "Macedonian",
      "roman": "edna slika vredi iljada zbora",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "една слика вреди илјада збора"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "et bilde sier mer enn tusen ord"
    },
    {
      "code": "nn",
      "lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "eit bilde seier meir enn tusen ord"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "jeden obraz jest wart więcej niż tysiąc słów"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "uma imagem vale mais que mil palavras"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "o pictură spune mai mult decât o mie de vorbe"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "lúčše odín raz uvídetʹ, čem sto raz uslýšatʹ",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "лу́чше оди́н раз уви́деть, чем сто раз услы́шать"
    },
    {
      "code": "sl",
      "lang": "Slovene",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "slika pove več kot tisoč besed"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "una imagen vale más que mil palabras"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "en bild säger mer än tusen ord"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "bir resim bin kelimeye bedeldir"
    },
    {
      "code": "vi",
      "lang": "Vietnamese",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "trăm nghe không bằng mắt thấy"
    },
    {
      "code": "zza",
      "lang": "Zazaki",
      "sense": "visualisation is better than verbal description",
      "word": "yo resım hendê hezar çekuyo"
    }
  ],
  "word": "a picture is worth a thousand words"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-03-12 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-03-01 using wiktextract (68773ab and 5f6ddbb). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

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