chim nhát là chim sống lâu
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
The timid bird lives longest — mocked as cowardice, practiced as longevity.
Literally: the shy bird is the long-lived bird
Examples
Cứ cười tôi nhát đi, chim nhát là chim sống lâu.Laugh at my caution — the timid bird outlives the bold one.
Editorial example (VI sweep batch 040, illustrative)
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 “chim nhát là chim sống lâu” mean?
The timid bird lives longest — mocked as cowardice, practiced as longevity. Literally: the shy bird is the long-lived bird
Is “chim nhát là chim sống lâu” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.