This is a collection of Vietnamese proverbs and their translations.
Nobody knows for sure the origin of Vietnamese proverbs and folk songs in terms of their
inception and authors. Vietnamese proverbs are orally transmitted and incessantly edited
throughout generations. By this virtue, the proverbs become so natural and clear that they
are able to describe the Vietnamese customs and traditions simply and truthfully. For that
reason, these proverbs are also dubbed as Vietnamese popular literature, which proliferates
by thousands of phrasings on all topics of various aspects of human life in society. Like
many other proverbs from around the world, Vietnamese proverbs state basic principles of
folk wisdom and conduct, which have become an essential and enduring part of daily
speech. They are short, succinct sayings with an intended meaning, which is to instruct or
advise about something worthy of our attention. Most of Vietnamese parents use proverbs
to educate their children about basic moral tenets of conduct and behavior. These proverbs
are usually formed with or without rhyme (E.G. An cay nao, rao cay ay : one shall cultivate
the tree from which one eats fruits . An qua nho ke trong cay : when eating the fruit, one
should remember those who planted the tree). The common topics of proverbs are as
follows, addressing routine issues of our society’s customs and traditions such as
interpersonal psychology, common experiences, moral precepts, and conduct and etiquette
of politeness.
A
• Ác giả, ác báo
o Equivalent: What you reap is what you sow
• Ai làm nấy chịu
o Translation: Whoever does something is responsible for it.
Take responsibility for your action.
•
o Equivalent: As you make your bed, so you must lie in it.
• Ăn chắc mặc bền
o Translation: To be guaranteed food and to dress firm
o Comfort is better than pride
• Ăn có nhai, nói có nghĩ
o Translation: Eating needs chewing, talking needs thinking

o Equivalent: Think today and speak tomorrow
• Ăn mày đòi xôi gấc
Beggars must be no choosers
Beggars can not be choosers
• Ân đền oán trả
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth
• Ăn miếng trả miếng.
Tit For Tat
Measure for measure'
An Eye For An Eye
Tooth For A Tooth
To gain something, to lose something
• Cẩn tắc vô ưu.
Good watch prevents misfortune
• Ăn quả nhớ kẻ trồng cây.
Gratitude is the sign of noble souls
When eating a fruit, think of the person who planted the tree.
• Ăn theo thuở, ở theo thời.
Other times, other manner
• Ăn trên ngồi trước
o Translation: To eat well and to sit first (in line)
o Equivalent: To be a highly placed in society, to be wealthy
• Ai ơi đừng chóng thì chày - Có công mài sắt có ngày nên kim
• Ai ơi chớ vội cười nhau - Ngắm mình cho tỏ trước sau hẵng cười
B
• Bụng làm, dạ chịu.
Suffer the consequnces of one's action
•
o Take responsibilities for one' action
• Ba bà, bǒn chuyēn

o To gossip alot
• Bá nghệ bá tri, vị chi bá láp
o Jack of all trades is master of none
• Bạn bè hiểu nhau khi hoạn nạn
• Cháy nhà mới lòi mặt chuột
o A friend in need is a friend indeed
o A better translation is: you only know who is friend or foe when something
bad happens
o Literal translation: Only when the house is on fire do the rats shows itself
(to runaway)
• Bánh it đi, bánh qui lại
o One good turn deserves another
o A better translation is: things come and things go"
o Literal translation: Cake "it" goes, (but) cake "qui" comes
• Bắt cá hai tay
Two timer
•
o Between two stools, you fall to the ground
o To run with the hare and hold with the hound.
o You have one cake but cannot eat it up.
• Bần cùng sinh đạo tặc
o Necessity knows no laws
• Bat di nhan phe ngon
o A fool may sometimes give a wise man counsel
• Bụng đói tai điếc
o Hungry bellies have no ears
• Bụt chùa nhà không thiêng
o No man is a hero to his valet
• Biết người biết ta
o Have both feet on the ground

C
• Có chí thì nên
Where there is a will, there is a way.
• Có mới, nới cũ
New one in, old one out.
• Của thiên, trả địa.
Easy come, easy go
• Còn nước, còn tát.
While there's life, there's hope.
"Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today."
• Có tật thì hay giật mình.
He who excuses himself, accuses himself
• Cùng tắc biến, biến tắc thông.
When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.
• Cha nào, con nấy.
Like father, like son
• Chết vinh còn hơn sống nhục.
Better die a beggar than live a beggar
Better die on your feet than live on your knees
Better to die with dignity than to live in shame
• Con sâu làm rầu nồi canh - Một người làm đĩ xấu danh đàn bà
One drop of poison infects the whole of wine
One scabby sheep is enough to spoil the whole flock
One bad apple spoils the barrel
• Ca vang bung bo
o
 A fair face may hide a foul heart
• Cái khó bó cái khôn
o Adversity brings wisdom
• Cái nết đánh chết cái đẹp

o Beauty is but skin-deep
Manner kills beauty
• Cái nết đánh chết cái đẹp.
Beauty dies and fades away but ugly holds its own
• Có còn hơn không.
Something Better than nothing
If you cannot have the best, make the best of what you have
Chứng Nào Tật Nấy.
Who drinks, will drink again
"Once a thief, always a thief."
Chớ để ngày may những gì mình có thể làm hôm nay.
Makes hay while sunshines.
Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today.
Cái nết đánh chết cái đẹp.
Handsome is as handsome does
• Cơ hội chỉ đến một lần.
Opportunity knocks but once.
Opportunity seldom knocks twice.
• Cười là liều thuốc tốt nhứt
laughter is the best medicine.
• Càng đông càng vui.
The more, the merrier
• Cây ngay không sợ chết đứng
o A clean hand wants no washing
• Cha chung không ai khóc
o Everybody's business is nobody's business
• Cha mẹ sinh con, trời sinh tính
o Many a good father has but a bad son
Translation: Parents gave birth to the child, god gives the child attitude
• Chín người, mười ý

o So many men, so many minds
Verbatin translation "9 people, 10 ideas"
• Chó cậy gần nhà, gà cậy gần chuồng
o Every dog is a lion at home
• Chó tha đi, mèo tha lại
o Literal translation: The dog drag it here, the cat drag it there
• Chở củi về rừng
o To carry coals to Newcastle
Verbatim translation " Taking wood back to the forest"
• Chơi chó, chó liếm mặt
o Familiarity breeds contempt
• Chưa đỗ ông nghè đã đe hàng tổng
o Catch the bear before you sell his skin
• Chưa khỏi vòng đã cong đuôi
o Do not halloo till you are out of the wood
• Chứng nào tật nấy
o The leopard cannot change its spots
• Có chí làm quan, có gan làm giàu
o Fortune favours the brave
• Có công mài sắt có ngày nên kim
o A mouse in time may bite in two a cable
o A better translation is: persistence pays
o Literal translation: If you put in the work to sharpen the steel, it will
eventually turn into needles
• Có khó mới có miếng ăn
o No sweet without sweat
• Có qua có lại mới toại lòng nhau
o Scratch my back; I'll scratch yours
• Có thực mới vực được đạo
o Fine words butter no parsnips

• Có tiền mua tiên cũng được
o Money makes the mare go
• Con gà tốt mã về lông, răng đen về thuốc, rượu nồng về men
o Fine feathers make fine birds
• Cười người hôm trước, hôm sau người cười
o He laughs best who laughs last
o Literal translation: laughs at others today, (and) tomorrow others will
laugh at you
• Chó chê mèo dài đuôi / Ngỗng khen công cổ dài
o The pot calling the kettle black
• Chim sợ cành cong
o Once bitten, twice shy.
• Chó chạy trước cày.