IdiomDaily Life
Hungarian
HungarianKibújik a szög a zsákból
Meaning: The hidden truth comes out.
Literally: The nail pokes out of the sack
Example: “Sokáig titkolta, de végül kibújt a szög a zsákból.” — He hid it for a long time, but in the end the truth will out.
English equivalent: The truth will out
Origin: A nail hidden in a sack soon pokes through the cloth. The Hungarian proverb means the truth comes out in the end, however it is hidden. The same picture, with an awl, is old in Chinese, where Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian has an awl in a bag that soon shows its point.
Equivalents in other languages
Dutch: Nu komt de aap uit de mouw Literally: Now the monkey comes out of the sleeve
French: Découvrir le pot aux roses Literally: To discover the pot of roses
More Hungarian idioms
- Sok lúd disznót győz There is strength in numbers.
- Lóvá tesz valakit To dupe or make a fool of someone.
- Nem enged a negyvennyolcból To stubbornly refuse to compromise.
- Felkopik az álla To go hungry and be left with nothing.
- Lóg az eső lába It looks like it's about to rain.
- Nem fenékig tejföl It's not all rosy; things aren't as good as they seem.
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