đứng núi này trông núi nọ

Vietnamese

Etymology

Literally “standing on one mountain, gazing at another”. Compare Chinese 這山望著那山高 / 这山望著那山高 (zhè shān wàng zhe nà shān gāo).

Pronunciation

  • (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [ʔɗɨŋ˧˦ nuj˧˦ naj˨˩ t͡ɕəwŋ͡m˧˧ nuj˧˦ nɔ˧˨ʔ]
  • (Huế) IPA(key): [ʔɗɨŋ˦˧˥ nuj˨˩˦ naj˦˩ ʈəwŋ͡m˧˧ nuj˨˩˦ nɔ˨˩ʔ]
  • (Saigon) IPA(key): [ʔɗɨŋ˦˥ nuj˦˥ na(ː)j˨˩ ʈəwŋ͡m˧˧ nuj˦˥ nɔ˨˩˨]

Proverb

đứng núi này trông núi nọ

  1. the grass is always greener on the other side

Usage notes

This proverb carries a somewhat narrower connotation than the English saying. It is used for example in the context of a romantic longing or a longing for a better station in life, rather than for more trivial desires.

Synonyms

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