ProverbCommunication
Russian origin
Russian originГде тонко, там и рвётся (Gde tonko, tam i ryvotsya)
Meaning: Things fail at their weakest point.
Literally: Where it's thin, that's where it tears
Example: “Мы всё предусмотрели, кроме погоды. Где тонко, там и рвётся.” — We planned for everything except the weather: a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, German, Polish, and Chinese
English: A chain is only as strong as its weakest link
French: Une chaîne n'est jamais plus solide que son maillon le plus faible (literally: A chain is never stronger than its weakest link)
Spanish: Una cadena es tan fuerte como su eslabón más débil (literally: A chain is as strong as its weakest link)
German: Eine Kette ist nur so stark wie ihr schwächstes Glied (literally: A chain is only as strong as its weakest link)
Polish: Gdzie cienko, tam się rwie (literally: Where it's thin, there it tears)
Chinese: 千里之堤，溃于蚁穴 (Qiān lǐ zhī dī, kuì yú yǐ xué) (literally: A thousand-mile dyke collapses through an ant hole)
Origin: Rope or cloth tears where it is thinnest. Turgenev took it as the title of his one-act comedy of 1848.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- Без царя в голове (Bez tsarya v golove) Foolish and reckless — with no one in charge upstairs.
- Ты умница (ty umnitsa) You're bright, clever, and admirable — said warmly of someone who handles things well.
- У тебя золотые руки (u tebya zolotye ruki) You're extraordinarily skilled — able to make or fix anything with your hands.
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