gậy ông đập lưng ông
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Close to the English saying: “Hoist with his own petard.”.
Literally: Using the old man's cane to hit his own back.
Where it’s used:
Used
Toàn quốc & hải ngoại · Vietnam-wide & diaspora
Sources & notes
Imported from Wikiquote: Vietnamese proverbs (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29), pending review. Sources cited there: Gậy ông đập lưng ông (2003).
Common questions
What does “gậy ông đập lưng ông” mean?
Close to the English saying: “Hoist with his own petard.”. Literally: Using the old man's cane to hit his own back.
Is “gậy ông đập lưng ông” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.