Tiếng Việt · Proverb Attested

đàng dài biết sức ngựa, nước loạn biết tôi ngay

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

Also seen as: đồ trường tri mã lực, quấc loạn thức thần trung

Meaning · English

The long road proves the horse; troubled times prove the loyal — endurance and allegiance both need distance to show.

Literally: long road knows the horse's strength; chaotic nation knows the loyal servant

Examples

Đàng dài biết sức ngựa, làm lâu mới biết ai bền.The long road proves the horse — time proves who lasts.

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 “đàng dài biết sức ngựa, nước loạn biết tôi ngay” mean?

The long road proves the horse; troubled times prove the loyal — endurance and allegiance both need distance to show. Literally: long road knows the horse's strength; chaotic nation knows the loyal servant

Is “đàng dài biết sức ngựa, nước loạn biết tôi ngay” formal or informal?

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