pot calling the kettle black en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˈpɑt ˈkɔliŋ ðə ˈkɛtl̩ ˈblæk/ (US)
- /ˈpɒt ˈkɔːliŋ ðə ˈkɛtl̩ ˈblæk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
There are two interpretations of this phrase, though some sources give only the first interpretation. In the first interpretation, it refers to the fact that both cast-iron pots' and kettles' bottoms turn equally black when hung over a fire, and thus the pot is accusing the kettle of a fault it shares. In the second (unlikely) interpretation, the pot is sooty (being placed on a fire), while the kettle is clean and shiny (being placed on coals only), and hence when the pot accuses the kettle of being black, it is the pot’s own sooty reflection that it sees: the pot accuses the kettle of a fault that only the pot has.
Meanings
-
(idiomatic) A situation in which somebody comments on or accuses someone else of a fault which the accuser shares.
I think it's a case of the pot calling the kettle black when she says he is obsessive.
Deriveds
pot, kettle, black · pot, meet kettle · hi pot, meet kettle
Relateds
tu quoque · methinks the lady doth protest too much · look who's talking · hypocrisy · it takes one to know one · people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones
Translations (67)
it il bue che dice cornuto all'asino (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · cs hadr káře onuci (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · vi chó chê mèo lắm lông (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · pl przyganiał kocioł garnkowi (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · lt abu labu (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · fr voir la paille dans l'œil du voisin et ne pas voir la poutre dans le sien (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · et pada sõimab katelt (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · cs hrnec kotel kárá, černí jsou oba (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · cs zloděj křičí, chyťte zloděje (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · pt roto falando do esfarrapado (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · ro râde ciob de oală spartă (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · yue 半斤笑八兩 /半斤笑八两 (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · fi pata kattilaa soimaa (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · no kaste sten i glasshus (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · eu xoxoak beleari ipurbeltz (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · fr c'est la poêle qui se fout du chaudron (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · nan-hbl 龜笑鱉無毛 /龟笑鳖无毛 (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · cmn 五十步笑一百步 (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · sv kasta sten i glashus (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · sh ругала се руга па јој била друга (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · de ein Esel schimpft den anderen Langohr (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · fr c'est l'hôpital qui se moque de la charité (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · es le dijo la sartén al cazo: ¡aparta que me tiznas! (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · th ว่าแต่เขาอิเหนาเป็นเอง (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · nan-hbl 三跤貓笑一目狗 /三跤猫笑一目狗 (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · hu bagoly mondja verébnek, hogy nagyfejű (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · id maling teriak maling (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · cmn 五十步笑百步 (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · eo kaldrono ridas pri poto kaj mem estas kota (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · ja 目糞鼻糞を笑う (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · ja 五十歩百歩 (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · ms kata periuk belanga hitam (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · yue 五十步笑一百步 (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · pt o sujo falando do mal lavado (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · gd aithis na praise air a' choire (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · es le dijo la sartén al cazo (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · yo ṣágo ń búgò (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · fr voir une paille dans l'œil de son prochain et ne pas voir une poutre dans le sien (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · ga an óinseach ag aoir ar an amadán (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · sh rugala se ruga pa joj bila druga (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · ga casadh an chorcáin leis an gciteal (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · hu más szemében a szálkát is meglátja, a magáéban a gerendát sem (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · ca el perol diu a la paella: "Si m'embrutes, t'emmascaro" (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · ca aquò's la misèria que se trufa de l'espital (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · fr c'est l'hôpital qui se fout de la charité (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · bg присмя́л се хъ́рбел на щъ́рбел (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · fr c'est la poêle qui se moque du chaudron (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · nan-hbl 龜笑鱉無尾 /龟笑鳖无尾 (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · sh ругала се шерпа лонцу широка му уста (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · sv se grandet i grannens öga men inte bjälken i sitt eget (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · nl de pot verwijt de ketel dat hij zwart ziet (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · fr c'est l'hôpital qui se moque de l'infirmerie (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · eu zozoak beleari, ipurbeltz (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · lt juokėsi puodas, kad katilas juodas (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · mk му рекло магарето на зајакот (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · fi pata kattilaa soimaa, musta kylki kummallakin (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · tr tencere dibin kara, seninki benden kara (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · gl díxolle a pota ao caldeiro (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · fr c'est la pelle qui se moque du fourgon (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · pt diz o roto ao nu (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · ga is maith an té atá ag tabhairt achasáin uaidh (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · id maling teriak rampok (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · fr voir la paille dans l'œil de son voisin et ne pas voir une poutre dans le sien (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · es el burro hablando de orejas (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · sh rugala se šerpa loncu široka mu usta (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · et pada sõimab katelt, ühed mustad mõlemad (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser) · lt juokiasi puodas, kad katilas juodas (situation in which somebody accuses someone else of a fault shared by the accuser)