The tongue has no bones, but it is strong enough to break a heart
Meaning: Words, though intangible, can inflict deep and lasting wounds.
Origin: A modern variation on an older saying known in Greek, Italian and Turkish: the tongue has no bones, but it breaks bones. The Spectator printed the Turkish version in an 1885 article on Turkish proverbs; the "break a heart" ending is a later softening.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, and Japanese
- French: La langue n'a pas d'os, mais elle est assez forte pour briser un cœur (literally: The tongue has no bones, but is strong enough to break a heart)
- Spanish: La lengua no tiene huesos, pero es suficientemente fuerte para romper un corazón (literally: The tongue has no bones, but it is strong enough to break a heart)
- Japanese: 舌に骨はないが、心を砕くには十分に強い (Shita ni hone wa nai ga, kokoro wo kudaku niwa jūbun ni tsuyoi) (literally: The tongue has no bone, but it is strong enough to crush a heart)
More proverbs about Communication
- A problem shared is a problem halved — Talking about difficulties with others makes them easier to bear and to solve.
- Walls have ears — Be careful what you say — you may be overheard in unexpected places.
- The one who tells the stories rules the world — Whoever controls the narratives shapes beliefs, cultures, and civilizations.
- Well done is better than well said — Actions and results are far more valuable than promises and fine words.
- A word once spoken can never be recalled — Choose your words carefully, for once said they cannot be unsaid.
- Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see — Acts of kindness transcend words and communicate beyond all physical limitations.