cái trước đau cái sau rái
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
The first experience is painful, but subsequent ones are easier
Literally: The front hurts, the back itches
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Sources & notes
Listed on Vietnamese Wikiquote “Tục ngữ Việt Nam” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30); definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-30; pending editor spot-check.
Common questions
What does “cái trước đau cái sau rái” mean?
The first experience is painful, but subsequent ones are easier Literally: The front hurts, the back itches
Is “cái trước đau cái sau rái” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.