Tiếng Việt · Proverb Attested

hòn đất ném đi, hòn chì ném lại

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

Meaning · English

A clod of earth thrown over, a lump of lead thrown back — retaliation upgrading the ammunition.

Literally: toss a clay lump, receive a lead lump

Examples

Hòn đất ném đi, hòn chì ném lại.Throw earth, get lead back.

Editorial example (VI sweep batch 040, illustrative)

Sources & notes

Discovered via Nam ngạn chích cẩm (Phạm Quang Sán, 1918; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Nam ngạn chích cẩm (Phạm Quang Sán, 1918). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.

Common questions

What does “hòn đất ném đi, hòn chì ném lại” mean?

A clod of earth thrown over, a lump of lead thrown back — retaliation upgrading the ammunition. Literally: toss a clay lump, receive a lead lump

Is “hòn đất ném đi, hòn chì ném lại” formal or informal?

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

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