Proverbs
Dĩ hoà vi quý.
Literal Translation: Making peace is treasured.
(American) English Equivalient: Make love, not war.
Đồng thanh tương ứng, đồng khí tương cầu.
(American) English Equivalient: Birds of a feather flock together.
Meaning: Similar people often become friends.
Cái khó ló cái khôn.
(American) English Equivalient: Adversity is the mother of wisdom.
Meaning: Most of us seldom take the trouble to think. When they occur, crises and deadlocks have the advantage that they force us to think.
Tiền nào của đó.
Literal Translation: Like money, like stuff.
(American) English Equivalient: You get what you pay for.
Meaning: If you buy cheaply, you pay dearly.
Ai làm nấy chịu.
(American) English Equivalient: Whoever sows wind shall harvest storm.
Meaning: Trouble once started can spark off a chain reaction, often resulting in a great trouble out of control.
Trèo cao, té nặng.
Literal Translation: The higher you climb, the greater you fall.
Meaning: Mistakes become more consequential the more influence you have.
Cười người hôm trước, hôm sau người cười.
Literal Translation: Laughs at others today, (and) tomorrow others will laugh at you.
(American) English Equivalient: He who laughs last, laughs longest.
Meaning: Minor successes or failures along the way are of no significance; the person who is ultimately triumphant is the only real winner.
Gần mực thì đen, gần đèn thì rạng.
Literal Translation: If near ink, you will be black, if near light, you will shine.
(American) English Equivalient: Tell me with whom you walk, and I will tell you who you are.
Meaning: People are influenced by their environment.
Nước chảy đá mòn.
Literal Translation: Water flows, rock erodes.
(American) English Equivalient: Constant dripping wears the stone.
Meaning: A drop hollows out the stone by falling not twice, but many times; so too is a person made wise by reading not two, but many books.
Tay làm hàm nhai.
Literal Translation: The hand works, the mouth (is allowed to) chew.
(American) English Equivalient: He who does not work shall not eat.
Meaning: Without due effort, one is not entitled to the fruits of labor.
Sinh nghề tử nghiêp.
(American) English Equivalient: Live by the sword, die by the sword.
Meaning: Those who engage in aggression or violence will meet their death in a similar way.
Phi thương,bất phú.
(American) English Equivalient: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Meaning: It is necessary to take risks in order to achieve something.
Hoạ vô đon chí.
Literal Translation: Misfortunes never come singly.
(American) English Equivalient: Misery loves company.
Tai vách, mạch rừng.
Literal Translation: The walls have ears.
Meaning: What you say may be overheard; used as a warning.
Xa mặt, cách lòng.
Literal Translation: Out of sight, out of mind.
(American) English Equivalient: Out of sight, out of mind.
Meaning: When someone or something is far away, we tend to forget about it.
Một giọt máu đào hơn ao nước lã.
Literal Translation: Blood is much thicker than water.
(American) English Equivalient: Blood is thicker than water.
Meaning: Relatives usually help each other more than strangers. The bonds of relationship are more binding than other bonds.
Copyright © 1993–2024 World Trade Press. All rights reserved.