Tiếng Việt · Proverb Attested

coi bằng mặt, chớ bắt bằng tay

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

Also seen as: xem bằng mặt, bắt bằng tay

Meaning · English

Look with the eyes, seize not with the hands — admire, and leave untouched.

Literally: view by face, don't catch by hand

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 “coi bằng mặt, chớ bắt bằng tay” mean?

Look with the eyes, seize not with the hands — admire, and leave untouched. Literally: view by face, don't catch by hand

Is “coi bằng mặt, chớ bắt bằng 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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