darovanému koni na zuby nekoukej

Czech

Alternative forms

• darovanému koni na zuby nehleď

Etymology

Literally, “don't look at the teeth of a gift horse”. Since horses' teeth grow over time, checking their length is a way of gauging old age, and therefore a sign of mistrust towards the giver. Although uncertain, the origin can be traced even further to St. Jerome's Latin translation equi donati dentes non inspiciuntur, from the Letter to the Ephesians, circa AD 400.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdarovanɛːmu ˈkoɲɪ ˈnazubɪ ˈnɛkou̯kɛj/

Proverb

darovanému koni na zuby nekoukej

1. don't look a gift horse in the mouth

Further reading

• “kůň”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989