Tiếng Việt · Proverb Attested

cầm dầu có hòng ướt tay

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

Meaning · English

Handle oil and your hands will glisten — manage money or goods long enough and some rubs off; custody breeds seepage.

Literally: carry oil, expect wet hands

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 “cầm dầu có hòng ướt tay” mean?

Handle oil and your hands will glisten — manage money or goods long enough and some rubs off; custody breeds seepage. Literally: carry oil, expect wet hands

Is “cầm dầu có hòng ướt tay” formal or informal?

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

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