ProverbHuman NatureFrench origin

La curiosité est un vilain défaut

Meaning: Being too curious about others' business is a bad habit.

Literally: Curiosity is an ugly flaw

Example: “Ne lis pas mes messages ! La curiosité est un vilain défaut.” — Don't read my messages! Curiosity killed the cat.

Equivalents in English, Spanish, Japanese, German, Russian, and Polish

  • English: Curiosity killed the cat
  • Spanish: La curiosidad mató al gato (literally: Curiosity killed the cat)
  • Japanese: 好奇心は猫をも殺す (Kōkishin wa neko wo mo korosu) (literally: Curiosity can even kill a cat)
  • German: Neugier ist der Katze Tod (literally: Curiosity is the cat's death)
  • Russian: Любопытной Варваре на базаре нос оторвали (Lyubopytnoy Varvare na bazare nos otorvali) (literally: Nosy Varvara had her nose torn off at the market)
  • Polish: Ciekawość to pierwszy stopień do piekła (literally: Curiosity is the first step to hell)

Origin: Said to children who pry: curiosity is a vilain défaut, an ugly fault.

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