A hungry stomach has no ears
Meaning: People cannot focus on anything else when their most basic needs are unmet.
Origin: Plutarch tells how Cato the Elder began a speech to Romans clamoring for a grain handout by saying it was hard to argue with the belly, since it has no ears. Hungry people are in no mood to listen to reason.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: Un estomac affamé n'a pas d'oreilles (literally: A hungry stomach has no ears)
- Spanish: El estómago hambriento no tiene oídos (literally: A hungry stomach has no ears)
- Japanese: 空腹には耳がない (Kūfuku ni wa mimi ga nai) (literally: An empty stomach has no ears)
- German: Ein hungriger Bauch hat keine Ohren (literally: A hungry belly has no ears)
More proverbs about Human Nature
- The fish sees the bait but not the hook — People are often tempted by apparent benefits while ignoring the hidden dangers.
- What the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over — We only suffer from what we know about; ignorance can sometimes bring a measure of peace.
- We are what we repeatedly do — Character and identity are shaped not by occasional acts but by consistent daily habits.
- Rain does not fall on one roof alone — Hardship and misfortune are universal; no single person suffers alone.
- You can't see the forest for the trees — Being too focused on small details can prevent you from seeing the overall picture.
- The wolf changes his coat but not his character — Surface appearances can change, but a person's fundamental nature remains the same.
From our compliments & insults
- Faulpelz — A lazybones — someone who lounges around and avoids any effort, as warm and inert as a fu…
- Griesgram — A perpetual grump who radiates dissatisfaction and sucks the joy out of every room.
- Pantoffelheld — A man who is only bold and brave at home — a henpecked pushover who bluster turns into a…