Tiếng Việt · Proverb Attested

khôn ngoan chẳng bằng thật thà

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

Meaning · English

Cunning is no match for honesty — the straight measure outlasts every crooked one.

Literally: clever can't equal sincere

Examples

Buôn bán lâu dài thì khôn ngoan chẳng bằng thật thà.For the long game, honesty beats cunning.

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 “khôn ngoan chẳng bằng thật thà” mean?

Cunning is no match for honesty — the straight measure outlasts every crooked one. Literally: clever can't equal sincere

Is “khôn ngoan chẳng bằng thật thà” formal or informal?

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

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