proverb · Source-linked selection
It is a sad house where the hen crows louder than the cock.
It is a sad house where the hen crows louder than the cock.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying declares a household unhappy when the hen is louder than the cock. Its animal image can express a gendered objection to a woman having greater authority.
What the words are saying
The contrast makes one voice exceeding another the supposed cause of sadness. A critical reading recognises the hierarchy implied by this comparison without endorsing it. Household wellbeing depends on how people communicate and treat each other, not on a rule that one gender must remain quieter. The image should prompt scrutiny of the assumption rather than obedience to it.
Everyday example
Partners share decisions according to their knowledge and needs instead of judging who should speak by gender.
When to use it
Use it critically to discuss gendered expectations of authority.
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What it does not mean
This editorial reading identifies a possible human analogy; the image does not establish a proper gender hierarchy.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 778 · Hen crows
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English