Tiếng Việt · Proverb Attested

ăn vỏ dưa, thấy vỏ dừa mà sợ

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In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

Slipped on a melon rind, now afraid of coconut husks — one fall, and every peel looks lethal.

Literally: ate the melon rind, dreads the coconut shell

Sources & notes

Discovered via Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.

Common questions

What does “ăn vỏ dưa, thấy vỏ dừa mà sợ” mean?

Slipped on a melon rind, now afraid of coconut husks — one fall, and every peel looks lethal. Literally: ate the melon rind, dreads the coconut shell

Is “ăn vỏ dưa, thấy vỏ dừa mà sợ” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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