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Mongolian Proverbs


Mongolia is a landlocked unitary sovereign state in East Asia. Its area is roughly equivalent with the historical territory of Outer Mongolia, and that term is sometimes used to refer to the current state. It is sandwiched between China to the south and Russia to the north. While it does not share a border with Kazakhstan, Mongolia is separated from it by only 36.76 kilometres.(Source)

Ulaanbaatar, formerly anglicised as Ulan Batoris the capital and largest city of Mongolia. The city is not part of any aimag (province), and its population as of 2014 was over 1.3 million, almost half of the country’s total population.

The official language of Mongolia and both the most widely-spoken and best-known member of the Mongolic language family. The number of speakers across all its dialects may be 5.2 million, including the vast majority of the residents of Mongolia and many of the Mongolian residents of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.


“Монгол Улсын төрийн дуулал” is The National Anthem of Mongolia. Lyrics:

Our unwavering independent nation
All Mongols’ sacred ancestry
All world’s good deeds
Always stable, forever continue

With all honest nations of the world
Strengthen our bonds
With all our will and strength
Let’s develop our beloved Mongolia

Our great nation’s symbol blesses
The peoples’ fate supports
Our ancestry, culture and language
Let’s forever cherish and prosper

Bright peoples of brave Mongolia
Have freedom and happiness
Key to happiness, column for prosperity
Our great country prosper


Mongolian Proverbs

Sayings of Mongolian origin

  • You will have four nights taking a short cut.
  • You can’t put two saddles on the same horse.
  • Wise men talk about ideas, intellectuals about facts, and the ordinary man talks about what he eats.
  • Who cleans up the dirt washes away happiness.
  • Two bears in one cave will not end up well.
  • Times are not always the same; the grass is not always green.
  • There are men who walk through the woods and see no trees.
  • The winner has many friends, the loser has good friends.
  • The supreme treasure is knowledge, the middle treasure is children, and the lowest treasure is material wealth.
  • The more you listen the more you give yourself room for doubt.
  • The meat-biting tooth is in the mouth; the man-biting tooth is in the soul.
  • The living denied a table; the dead get a whole coffin.
  • The fish sees the bait not the hook; a man sees not the danger — only the profit.
  • The donkey recognizes the tracks of a horse.
  • The distance between heaven and earth is no greater than one thought.
  • Rich is he who has no debts, fortunate he who lives without handicap.
  • One idiot can ask more questions than ten wise men can answer.
  • One finger short of being crazy.
  • Once you have locked your door you are the emperor in your own domain.
  • Of the good we have an understanding, for fools we keep a stick upstairs.
  • Men and women sleep on the same pillow, but they have different dreams.
  • It’s difficult to take a wolf cub without bringing in the whole pack.
  • It is easier to catch an escaped horse than to take back an escaped word.
  • In a good word there are three winters’ warmth; in one malicious word there is pain for six frosty months.
  • If you want to build high, you must dig deep.
  • If you are sick, think about your life; if you are better, think about your gold.
  • If you are going to steal bells plug your ears.
  • If the cairn were not built, the magpie wouldn’t have perched.
  • He who wants to build high must dig deep.
  • He who drinks, dies; he who does not drink, dies as well.
  • Greed keeps men forever poor, even the abundance of this world will not make them rich.
  • Fox will starve to death while waiting under an ox.
  • Even foul water will put out a fire.
  • Each country’s customs are different, just as each meadow’s grass is different.
  • Don’t undo your bootlaces until you have seen the river.
  • Don’t look for bad things in the good that you do.
  • Calf is not grown, but he thinks he can make bull’s dung.
  • A tiger wearing a bell will starve.
  • A donkey that carries me is worth more than a horse that kicks me.
  • A cat likes to eat fresh fish but it will not go into the water.


    • Mongolia is a landlocked unitary sovereign state in East Asia. Its area is roughly equivalent with the historical territory of Outer Mongolia, and that term is sometimes used to refer to the current state. It is sandwiched between China to the south and Russia to the north. While it does not share a border with Kazakhstan, Mongolia is separated from it by only 36.76 kilometres.(Source)

    Ulaanbaatar, formerly anglicised as Ulan Batoris the capital and largest city of Mongolia. The city is not part of any aimag (province), and its population as of 2014 was over 1.3 million, almost half of the country’s total population.

    The official language of Mongolia and both the most widely-spoken and best-known member of the Mongolic language family. The number of speakers across all its dialects may be 5.2 million, including the vast majority of the residents of Mongolia and many of the Mongolian residents of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

    “Монгол Улсын төрийн дуулал” is The National Anthem of Mongolia. Lyrics:

    Our unwavering independent nation
    All Mongols’ sacred ancestry
    All world’s good deeds
    Always stable, forever continue

    With all honest nations of the world
    Strengthen our bonds
    With all our will and strength
    Let’s develop our beloved Mongolia

    Our great nation’s symbol blesses
    The peoples’ fate supports
    Our ancestry, culture and language
    Let’s forever cherish and prosper

    Bright peoples of brave Mongolia
    Have freedom and happiness
    Key to happiness, column for prosperity
    Our great country prosper

Categories: Sayings of Asian Origin