Tiếng Việt · Proverb Attested

khôn ăn cái, dại ăn nước

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

Meaning · English

The wise eat the solids, the foolish drink the broth — advantage goes to whoever knows which part matters.

Literally: clever eats the substance, foolish eats the liquid

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 “khôn ăn cái, dại ăn nước” mean?

The wise eat the solids, the foolish drink the broth — advantage goes to whoever knows which part matters. Literally: clever eats the substance, foolish eats the liquid

Is “khôn ăn cái, dại ăn nước” formal or informal?

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

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