proverb · Words worth keeping
Pay him in his own coin.
Pay him in his own coin.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Respond to someone with treatment resembling what they gave you. Paying in the same coin pictures reciprocity, which may be fair acknowledgment or harmful retaliation.
Example
After receiving practical help, someone offers similar assistance when the other person needs it.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The coin makes an action something returned in matching form. The saying can describe repaying kindness, or the temptation to answer an insult with an insult. Those uses deserve different judgments. A careful application asks whether matching the behaviour serves fairness and repair or merely extends the harm. Proportion, circumstances and the option to set a boundary matter more than a demand for exact revenge.
When to use it
Use it to discuss reciprocity while considering whether the returned treatment is appropriate.
Keep in mind
Matching harmful conduct can escalate conflict; reciprocity does not require revenge.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their 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
- Date unknown
- Culture
- English