Meanings
proverb
- idiomaticOne should help the people closest to oneself before thinking of helping others.
Charity begins at home, is the voyce of the world, yet is every man his greatest enemy, and as it were, his owne executioner.
1643, Sir Thomas Browne, Religio Medici
Translations
Arabic الأقربون اولى بالمعروف
- الأقربون اولى بالمعروفone should help the people closest to oneself before helping others
Chinese Mandarin 博愛始於家門；施捨先及親友 /博爱始于家门；施舍先及亲友
- 博愛始於家門；施捨先及親友 /博爱始于家门；施舍先及亲友 (bó'ài shǐyú jiāmén; shīshě xiān jí qīnyǒu)one should help the people closest to oneself before helping others
Finnish hyväntekeväisyys alkaa kotoa
- hyväntekeväisyys alkaa kotoaone should help the people closest to oneself before helping others
French charité bien ordonnée commence par soi-même
- charité bien ordonnée commence par soi-mêmeone should help the people closest to oneself before helping others
German Wohltätigkeit beginnt zu Hause
- Wohltätigkeit beginnt zu Hauseone should help the people closest to oneself before helping others
Irish baist do leanbh féin ar dtús
- baist do leanbh féin ar dtúsone should help the people closest to oneself before helping others
Latin proximus egomet mihi
- proximus egomet mihione should help the people closest to oneself before helping others
Polish lepiej pomagać bliższym
- lepiej pomagać bliższymone should help the people closest to oneself before helping others
Russian своя́ руба́шка бли́же к те́лу
- своя́ руба́шка бли́же к те́лу (svojá rubáška blíže k télu)one should help the people closest to oneself before helping others
Cite this entry
APA
charity begins at home. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/charity%20begins%20at%20home
MLA
“charity begins at home.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/charity%20begins%20at%20home. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “charity begins at home,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/charity%20begins%20at%20home.
Source: charity begins at home on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.