Tiếng Việt · Proverb Attested

sống gởi nạc, thác gởi xương

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

Meaning · English

Alive, entrusting the flesh; dead, the bones — the orphan's plea for keeping, cradle to grave.

Literally: living, lodge the flesh; dead, lodge the bones

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 “sống gởi nạc, thác gởi xương” mean?

Alive, entrusting the flesh; dead, the bones — the orphan's plea for keeping, cradle to grave. Literally: living, lodge the flesh; dead, lodge the bones

Is “sống gởi nạc, thác gởi xương” formal or informal?

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

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