PolishPrzyganiał kocioł garnkowi
Meaning: Someone points out faults in others that they have themselves; usually said in reply to criticism.
Literally: The cauldron scolded the pot
Example: “Szef krytykuje nas za bałagan w dokumentach, a sam niczego nie może znaleźć. Przyganiał kocioł garnkowi.” — The boss criticizes us for messy paperwork, and he can't find anything himself. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
English equivalent: The pot calling the kettle black
Equivalents in other languages
Hungarian: Bagoly mondja verébnek, hogy nagyfejű Literally: The owl tells the sparrow it's big-headed
Arabic: الجمل ما يشوف عوجة رقبته (Al-jamal mā yshūf 'awjat raqabatuh) Literally: The camel can't see the bend in its own neck
French: C'est l'hôpital qui se fout de la charité Literally: It's the hospital making fun of the charity ward
Spanish: cachicamo diciéndole a morrocoy conchudo Literally: Armadillo telling tortoise shell-backed
German: ein Esel schimpft den andern Langohr Literally: One donkey scolds the other long-ear
Portuguese: sujo falando do mal lavado Literally: Dirty speaking of the badly washed- French: La paille et la poutre Literally: The straw and the beam
English: the pot calling the kettle black- Spanish: Dijo la sartén al cazo Literally: Said the frying pan to the saucepan
Italian: Il bue che dice cornuto all'asino Literally: The ox calling the donkey "horned"
Japanese: 目くそ鼻くそを笑う (Mekuso hanakuso o warau) Literally: Eye gunk laughs at nose gunk
Korean: 똥 묻은 개가 겨 묻은 개 나무란다 (Ttong mudeun gaega gyeo mudeun gae namuranda) Literally: The dog with dung on it scolds the dog with chaff on it
Dutch: De pot verwijt de ketel dat hij zwart is Literally: The pot reproaches the kettle for being black- Portuguese: Diz o roto ao nu: porque não te vestes tu? Literally: Says the ragged man to the naked one: why don't you get dressed?
Russian: Чья бы корова мычала, а твоя бы молчала (Ch'ya by korova mychala, a tvoya by molchala) Literally: Anyone's cow might moo, but yours should keep quiet
Turkish: Tencere dibin kara, seninki benden kara Literally: "Pot, your bottom is black!" "Yours is blacker than mine."
Chinese: 五十步笑百步 (Wǔshí bù xiào bǎi bù) Literally: Fifty paces laughing at a hundred paces
Origin: Both vessels hang over the same fire and are equally black. The longer przyganiał kocioł garnkowi, a sam smoli ("…though it's sooty itself") and przyganiał sagan garnkowi (sagan is another word for a big pot) are less common. No first use is documented.
More Polish idioms
- Nie mój cyrk, nie moje małpy Not my problem; I'm not getting involved.
- Gdzie raki zimują To be in serious trouble; to learn a harsh lesson.
- Musztarda po obiedzie Too late to be of any use.
- Rzucać grochem o ścianę To plead with someone who will not listen.
- Bułka z masłem Something very easy; a piece of cake.
- Wiercić komuś dziurę w brzuchu To nag someone relentlessly.
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