Дарёному коню в зубы не смотрят
Daryonomu konyu v zuby ne smotryat
Literal translation
"Do not look into the teeth of a gifted horse"
English equivalent
"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth"
What does it mean?
It is impolite to criticize or assess the value of a gift.
When to use
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth
Example in use
Russian
Он подарил мне старый телефон, но я промолчал — дарёному коню в зубы не смотрят.
Translation
He gave me an old phone, but I stayed quiet—don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
Origin
Trading tradition
Full history & cultural context
Historically, the age of a horse was determined by inspecting its teeth. Checking a horse given as a gift for age was considered an insult to the giver, implying distrust. The phrase survived into the modern era as a general rule of etiquette.
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