Где тонко, там и рвётся
With accent marks:
Где то́нко, там и рвётся.
Translation:
Where it is thin, it breaks.
Meaning:
Everything that is in a poor, unsustainable, neglected state becomes a cause of great misfortune, problem, disaster. New troubles begin exactly where it was already bad before.
The same idea is expressed in other languages by many peoples of the world.
The closest English equivalents of this Russian proverb are:
- The chain is no stronger than its weakest link.
- The worst spoke in a cart breaks first.
Other Russian proverbs
-
The beauty of a debt is its payment
-
Одна голова хорошо, а две – лучше
One head is good, but two ones are better.
-
The morning is wiser than the evening.
-
What you will sow, that you will reap.
-
Кто рано встаёт, тому бог подает
(lit.) Whoever gets up early, God gives him
-
You can't help grief with tears.
-
The quieter you go, the further you'll get.
-
Your own shirt is closer to your body.
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