ProverbChallenge
Spanish origin
Spanish originDe los escarmentados nacen los avisados
Meaning: People learn caution from bad experiences.
Literally: From those who have learned the hard way come the wary
Example: “Después de perder dinero, ahora revisa cada contrato. De los escarmentados nacen los avisados.” — After losing money he now checks every contract: once bitten, twice shy.
Equivalents in English, French, Japanese, German, Dutch, and 2 more languages
English: Adversity makes a man wise, not rich.
French: Vent au visage rend un homme sage (literally: Wind in the face makes a man wise)
Japanese: 艱難汝を玉にす (Kannan nanji o tama ni su) (literally: Hardship polishes you into a jewel)
German: Durch Schaden wird man klug (literally: Through harm one becomes wise)
Dutch: Door schade en schande wordt men wijs (literally: Through loss and shame one grows wise)
Russian: За битого двух небитых дают (Za bitogo dvukh nebitykh dayut) (literally: For one who's been beaten, you'd get two who haven't)
Chinese: 吃一堑，长一智 (Chī yí qiàn, zhǎng yí zhì) (literally: Fall into a ditch, gain in wit)
Origin: The escarmentados are those who have learned their lesson the hard way; from them come the avisados, the wary.
Explore another collection: Untranslatable Words
Words that capture a feeling or idea English needs a whole sentence for.
- Puente The day taken off to 'bridge' a midweek public holiday to the weekend, turning it into a…
- Vergüenza ajena The squirming embarrassment felt on behalf of another person, who may be entirely untroub…
- Sobremesa The unhurried conversation that lingers long after a meal, when no one wants to leave the…
Keep exploring