What does it mean?
Someone criticises another person for a trait they have just as strongly themselves.
Closest English saying: The pot calling the kettle black.
What does it literally say?
Είπε ο γάιδαρος τον πετεινό κεφάλα
Ípe o gáidaros ton petinó kefála
“The donkey called the rooster big-headed.”
Comparing two animals creates an ironic picture of missing self-criticism.
How is it used?
«Τον είπε αδιάκριτο ενώ ρωτάει τα πάντα. Είπε ο γάιδαρος τον πετεινό κεφάλα.»
“He called her nosy, yet he asks about everything. The donkey called the rooster big-headed.”
Where does it come from?
Traditional Greek folk usage. eipane has not documented a first author or a first written record for this saying.
This is an English edition of the Greek entry, which remains the reference version. The English text was written from the Greek entry with the help of AI tools and checked against it. Suggest a correction ↗