Words worth understanding
Start with the thought in plain English. Then explore the imagery, a practical example, when to use it, and what the saying does not mean.
4,000 entries with editorial explanations. The wider collection also contains entries still awaiting an individual interpretation.
proverb · Traditional
A small amount of enjoyment can feel more valuable than a large burden of sorrow. The contrasting weights and prices express appreciation for relief, without treating grief as something a cheerful moment can simply remove.
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Sharing sorrow can make it feel less solitary, while sharing joy can add another person’s pleasure to it. The balanced contrast values companionship without promising a fixed reduction in grief or increase in happiness.
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The saying pictures restrained grief bursting the heart. Its forceful image expresses the pressure of sorrow kept unspoken or unacknowledged.
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Even an intense grief may change with time. The saying offers hope for easing, while its sweeping claim should not impose an outcome or deadline.
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An event may not produce immediate sadness while a person remains unaware of it. The saying links knowledge and feeling, without claiming that unseen harm disappears or that concealment is a proper way to prevent grief.
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