lạc đàng nắm đuôi chó, lạc ngỏ nắm đuôi trâu

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

Meaning · English

Lost on the road, follow the dog's tail; lost in the lanes, the buffalo's — beasts remember the way their masters forgot.

Literally: astray, hold the dog's tail; lost, the buffalo's
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 “lạc đàng nắm đuôi chó, lạc ngỏ nắm đuôi trâu” mean?

Lost on the road, follow the dog's tail; lost in the lanes, the buffalo's — beasts remember the way their masters forgot. Literally: astray, hold the dog's tail; lost, the buffalo's

Is “lạc đàng nắm đuôi chó, lạc ngỏ nắm đuôi trâu” formal or informal?

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