ProverbWisdomItalian origin

Chi è sazio non crede al digiuno

Meaning: Those who are comfortable can't understand those who suffer.

Literally: Whoever is full doesn't believe in hunger

Example: “Chi ha sempre avuto tutto non capisce i problemi degli altri. Chi è sazio non crede al digiuno.” — Those who've always had everything don't understand others' troubles: the well-fed don't understand the hungry.

Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, German, Russian, and 2 more languages

  • English: One half of the world knows not how the other half lives.
  • French: La moitié du monde ne sait comment l’autre vit (literally: One half the world knows not how the other half lives)
  • Spanish: El harto no cree al hambriento (literally: The well-fed man does not believe the hungry one)
  • German: Der Satte glaubt dem Hungrigen nicht (literally: The well-fed man does not believe the hungry one)
  • Russian: Сытый голодного не разумеет (Sytyy golodnogo ne razumeet) (literally: The well-fed don't understand the hungry)
  • Polish: Syty głodnego nie zrozumie (literally: The full won't understand the hungry)
  • Turkish: Tok açın hâlinden bilmez (literally: The full don't know how the hungry fare)

Origin: Digiuno is fasting, hunger: the well-fed doesn't believe in it.

Explore another collection: False Friends

Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.

  • Camera Actually means 'room'. A camera (device) is una macchina fotografica.
  • Pretendere Actually means 'to demand' or 'to expect'. Pretende troppo = He demands too much.
  • Parente Actually means 'relative'. A parent (mother or father) is un genitore.

Browse all false friends →

Keep exploring

Explore all proverbs →