# The most common Vietnamese proverbs (and what they mean)

"Grind an iron bar and one day it becomes a needle", "When you drink water, remember its source" and "Near ink you turn black, near a lamp you shine": the proverbs Vietnamese people use every day, with their meaning and closest English equivalent, from Wikiquote's collection and bilingual Vietnamese–English proverb dictionaries.

- 25 votes · 22 items
- Mar 19, 2019 · Bùi Hoàng Minh
- https://even.best/en/l/5103/the-most-common-vietnamese-proverbs-and-what-they-mean

## Top 22

1. **Grind an iron bar long enough and one day it becomes a needle.** (3 · ▲3 ▼0) — "Có công mài sắt, có ngày nên kim." Meaning: Persistence pays.
2. **Hardship brings out wisdom.** (3 · ▲3 ▼0) — "Cái khó ló cái khôn." Meaning: Necessity is the mother of invention.
3. **When you drink water, remember its source.** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — "Uống nước nhớ nguồn." Meaning: Be grateful to those who made your good fortune possible.
4. **Planning is up to people, success is up to heaven.** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — "Mưu sự tại nhân, thành sự tại thiên." Meaning: Man proposes, God disposes.
5. **Flowing water wears away the stone.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — "Nước chảy đá mòn." Meaning: Constant dripping wears the stone.
6. **Failure is the mother of success.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — "Thất bại là mẹ thành công." Meaning: Failure is the mother of success.
7. **Such a father, such a son.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — "Cha nào, con nấy." Meaning: Like father, like son.
8. **A drop of blood is worth more than a pond of water.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — "Một giọt máu đào hơn ao nước lã." Meaning: Blood is thicker than water.
9. **Travel one day and learn a basketful of wisdom.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — "Đi một ngày đàng, học một sàng khôn." Meaning: Travel broadens the mind.
10. **With will, you succeed.** (0 · ▲1 ▼1) — "Có chí thì nên." Meaning: Where there's a will, there's a way.
11. **Walls have ears, forests have veins.** (0 · ▲1 ▼1) — "Tai vách, mạch rừng." Meaning: Walls have ears.
12. **Carrying firewood back to the forest.** (0 · ▲1 ▼1) — "Chở củi về rừng." Meaning: Carrying coals to Newcastle.
13. **Greed leads to bruises.** (0 · ▲1 ▼1) — "Tham thì thâm." Meaning: Grasp all, lose all.
14. **Every beginning is hard.** (0 · ▲1 ▼1) — "Vạn sự khởi đầu nan." Meaning: The first step is always the hardest.
15. **Near ink you turn black, near a lamp you shine.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — "Gần mực thì đen, gần đèn thì rạng." Meaning: Tell me who you go with and I will tell you who you are.
16. **Nine people, ten ideas.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — "Chín người, mười ý." Meaning: So many men, so many minds.
17. **Good character beats good looks.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — "Cái nết đánh chết cái đẹp." Meaning: Handsome is as handsome does.
18. **Laugh at others today and tomorrow they will laugh at you.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — "Cười người hôm trước, hôm sau người cười." Meaning: He who laughs last laughs best.
19. **Without fire, how can there be smoke?.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — "Không có lửa làm sao có khói." Meaning: There is no smoke without fire.
20. **Such a seed, such a fruit.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — "Nhân nào, quả nấy." Meaning: You reap what you sow.
21. **Silence is gold.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — "Im lặng là vàng." Meaning: Silence is golden.
22. **If you don't enter the tiger's den, how can you catch the cub?.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — "Không vào hang cọp sao bắt được cọp con." Meaning: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.