proverb · Words worth keeping
Man has two ears and one mouth; he should listen more than he talks.
Man has two ears and one mouth; he should listen more than he talks.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Two ears and one mouth used to recommend more listening gives anatomy a memorable conversational lesson. The saying values attention to others.
What the words are saying
The numerical comparison is rhetorical, not a biological instruction or reason to rank people by sensory ability. Listening does not require silence in the face of harm. A useful application gives others room while also making needs, disagreement and boundaries clear.
Everyday example
Someone lets another person finish an account before asking a question and explaining their own concern.
When to use it
Use it to encourage attentive conversation with expression and boundaries retained.
What it does not mean
No fixed speaking ratio or worth judgment from sensory ability is established.
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
Denmark
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
- Contributor-provided wisdom reference (2014 AD)
Supplied reference B; unit 742; PDF page 68; collection label: Denmark
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- Denmark