Meanings
alternative give a man a fish · alternative teach a man to fish
- It is better to teach someone to do something themself than to provide the action's reward; education or training is more helpful than charity.
It is an oft-quoted saying, and one full of social wisdom, "Give a man a fish, and he will be hungry again to-morrow; teach him to catch a fish, and he will be richer all his life."
1911, Alice Loane, The Common Growth, page 1385 more examples
He certainly doesn't practice his precepts, but I suppose the Patron meant that if you give a man a fish he is hungry again in an hour. If you teach him to catch a fish you do him a good turn. But these very elementary principles are apt to clash with the leisure of the cultivated classes.
1885 August, Anne Thackeray Ritchie, Mrs. Dymond, Vol. I, Macmillan’s Magazine, Vol. LXII, No. 310, p. 246It seems to me that the various HUD programs could be characterized as basic programs. It seems to me the real cure for the rural poor is job creation. I believe that people want to work. I do not believe the myth that people are inherently lazy. The old Chinese proverb, I believe, is a good one. "You can give a man a fish, and he will feed himself a day, and you teach him to fish and he will feed himself for a lifetime."
1972 March 22, Wes Uhlman, “Extensions and Revisions to the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 as Amended”, in U.S. Congress House Committee on Public Works Hearings 1972, volume 2, page 590For many years teachers in the Marshall Islands have sought to implement the wise insight of Marcus Aurelius: "Give a man a fish and you have fed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you have fed him for ever." Some of our teachers have even convinced themselves that this is Marshallese folk wisdom! But at least they recognize that the most effective help is self-help.
1992 October, Thomas D. Kijiner, Statement, Provisional Verbatim Record of the 11th Meeting of the 47th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, A/47/PV.11, p. 111Western institutions are fundamentally based on Greco-Roman institutions. If you understand the classics, you understand the framework of every western nation and culture... As the American saying goes, "If you give a man a fish, he will eat for a day, but if you teach a man how to fish, he will eat for life."
2004, Otto Tien-pok Xing, Friendly Advice for the Future of China, p. 67Maimonides defined the highest level of giving as helping a man achieve a livelihood or profession. This has come down to us in modern parlance in its Chinese form as, "If you give a man fish, he will eat for a day; if you teach him to fish, he will eat for a lifetime." Maimonides took the Jewish negative injunction "to save a life" and made it positive—"to help a man achieve a livelihood."
2010, James E. Hughes Jr., Family: The Compact among Generations, page 73
Origin
Apparently coined by Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie in her 1885 novel Mrs. Dymond, although frequently now attributed to Laozi or other Chinese thinkers. Compare Chinese 授人以魚不如授人以漁 /授人以鱼不如授人以渔 (shòu rén yǐ yú bùrú shòu rén yǐ yú), which may come from the English.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic أعطِ رجلاً سمكةً تطعمه ليومٍ واحد؛ علّمه كيف يصطاد السمك، تطعمه مدى الحياة
- أعطِ رجلاً سمكةً تطعمه ليومٍ واحد؛ علّمه كيف يصطاد السمك، تطعمه مدى الحياة (Aʿṭi rajulan samakatan, tuṭʿimhu liyawmin wāḥid; ʿallimhu kayfa yaṣṭādu al-samak, tuṭʿimhu madā al-ḥayāh)knowledge or training is more helpful charity
Bengali একটি মানুষ একটি মাছ দাও এবং আপনি একটি দিনের জন্য তাকে ভোজন. মাছ ধরা একটি মানুষ শেখান এবং আপনি সারা জীবনের জন্য তাকে ভোজন
- একটি মানুষ একটি মাছ দাও এবং আপনি একটি দিনের জন্য তাকে ভোজন. মাছ ধরা একটি মানুষ শেখান এবং আপনি সারা জীবনের জন্য তাকে ভোজন (ekṭi manuś ekṭi mach daō eboṅ apni ekṭi diner jonno take bhōjon. mach dhora ekṭi manuś śekhan eboṅ apni śara jiboner jonno take bhōjon)knowledge or training is more helpful charity
Chinese Mandarin 授人以魚不如授人以漁 /授人以鱼不如授人以渔
- 授人以魚不如授人以漁 /授人以鱼不如授人以渔 (shòu rén yǐ yú bùrú shòu rén yǐ yú)knowledge or training is more helpful charity
Czech dej člověku rybu - nasytíš ho na jeden den; nauč ho chytat ryby - nasytíš jej na celý život
- dej člověku rybu - nasytíš ho na jeden den; nauč ho chytat ryby - nasytíš jej na celý životknowledge or training is more helpful charity
Danish Giv en mand en fisk, og han har mad for en dag. Lær en mand at fiske, og han har mad for livet
- Giv en mand en fisk, og han har mad for en dag. Lær en mand at fiske, og han har mad for livetknowledge or training is more helpful charity
Finnish anna miehelle kala ja ruokit hänet päiväksi; opeta hänet kalastamaan ja ruokit hänet loppuelämäksi.
- anna miehelle kala ja ruokit hänet päiväksi; opeta hänet kalastamaan ja ruokit hänet loppuelämäksi.knowledge or training is more helpful charity
French Donne un poisson à un homme, il mangera un jour. Apprends-lui à pêcher, il mangera toute sa vie.
- Donne un poisson à un homme, il mangera un jour. Apprends-lui à pêcher, il mangera toute sa vie.knowledge or training is more helpful charity
German Gib einem Mann einen Fisch und du ernährst ihn für einen Tag. Lehre einen Mann zu fischen und du ernährst ihn für sein Leben.
- Gib einem Mann einen Fisch und du ernährst ihn für einen Tag. Lehre einen Mann zu fischen und du ernährst ihn für sein Leben.knowledge or training is more helpful charity
Hindi किसी के लिए काम करने से बेहतर उसे अपने आप करना सिखाना है
- किसी के लिए काम करने से बेहतर उसे अपने आप करना सिखाना है (kisī ke lie kām karne se behtar use apne āp karnā sikhānā hai)knowledge or training is more helpful charity
Indonesian Berikanlah orang itu seekor ikan, maka kamu memberikannya makan satu hari, ajarkanlah orang itu memancing ikan, maka kamu memberikannya makan seumur hidup, Berikanlah orang itu seekor ternak, maka kamu memberikannya makan satu hari, ajarkanlah orang itu beternak, maka kamu memberikannya makan seumur hidup
- Berikanlah orang itu seekor ikan, maka kamu memberikannya makan satu hari, ajarkanlah orang itu memancing ikan, maka kamu memberikannya makan seumur hidupknowledge or training is more helpful charity
- Berikanlah orang itu seekor ternak, maka kamu memberikannya makan satu hari, ajarkanlah orang itu beternak, maka kamu memberikannya makan seumur hidupknowledge or training is more helpful charity
Irish Tabhair iasc d’fhear, agus beidh sé sásta ar feadh lae; múin dó conas iasc a ghabháil, agus beidh sé sásta ar feadh a shaoil.
- Tabhair iasc d’fhear, agus beidh sé sásta ar feadh lae; múin dó conas iasc a ghabháil, agus beidh sé sásta ar feadh a shaoil.knowledge or training is more helpful charity
Italian dà un pesce ad un uomo e lo sfamerai per un giorno; insegna ad un uomo a pescare e lo sfamerai per sempre
- dà un pesce ad un uomo e lo sfamerai per un giorno; insegna ad un uomo a pescare e lo sfamerai per sempreknowledge or training is more helpful charity
Japanese 魚を与えるのではなく魚の釣り方を教えよ
- 魚を与えるのではなく魚の釣り方を教えよ (sakana o ataeru no de wa naku sakana no tsurikata o oshieyo)knowledge or training is more helpful charity
Lithuanian duok žmogui žuvį - bus sotus vieną dieną, išmok jį meškerioti - bus sotus likusį gyvenimą
- duok žmogui žuvį - bus sotus vieną dieną, išmok jį meškerioti - bus sotus likusį gyvenimąknowledge or training is more helpful charity
Persian اگر به کسی که گرسنه است ماهی بدهی، گرسنگی او را فقط برای یک روز رفع کردهای؛ اما اگر به او ماهیگیری یاد بدهی، گرسنگی او را تا ابد رفع میکنی
- اگر به کسی که گرسنه است ماهی بدهی، گرسنگی او را فقط برای یک روز رفع کردهای؛ اما اگر به او ماهیگیری یاد بدهی، گرسنگی او را تا ابد رفع میکنیknowledge or training is more helpful charity
Polish dając człowiekowi rybę - karmisz go na jeden dzień; dając człowiekowi wędkę - karmisz go na całe życie.
- dając człowiekowi rybę - karmisz go na jeden dzień; dając człowiekowi wędkę - karmisz go na całe życie.knowledge or training is more helpful charity
Portuguese dê a um homem um peixe e você o alimentará por um dia. Ensine-o a pescar e você o alimentará por toda uma vida
- dê a um homem um peixe e você o alimentará por um dia. Ensine-o a pescar e você o alimentará por toda uma vidaknowledge or training is more helpful charity
Spanish dale un pescado a un hombre y lo alimentarás por un día; enséñale a pescar y lo alimentarás de por vida.
- dale un pescado a un hombre y lo alimentarás por un día; enséñale a pescar y lo alimentarás de por vida.knowledge or training is more helpful charity
Ukrainian Дай людині рибу, і ти нагодуєш її лише раз. Навчи її ловити рибу, і вона буде годуватися нею все життя.
- Дай людині рибу, і ти нагодуєш її лише раз. Навчи її ловити рибу, і вона буде годуватися нею все життя. (Daj ljudyni rybu, i ty nahoduješ jiji lyše raz. Navčy jiji lovyty rybu, i vona bude hoduvatysja neju vse žyttja.)knowledge or training is more helpful charity
Urdu آدمی کو ایک مچھلی دو اور تم اُسے ایک دن کا کھانا دیتے ہو، لیکن آدمی کو مچھلی پکڑنا سکھاؤ اور تم اُسے ہمیشہ کے لئے کھانا دیتے ہو۔
- آدمی کو ایک مچھلی دو اور تم اُسے ایک دن کا کھانا دیتے ہو، لیکن آدمی کو مچھلی پکڑنا سکھاؤ اور تم اُسے ہمیشہ کے لئے کھانا دیتے ہو۔knowledge or training is more helpful charity
Vietnamese Nếu cho người khác một con cá, bạn sẽ chỉ nuôi sống người đó một ngày. Còn nếu dạy anh ta cách câu cá, bạn sẽ nuôi sống anh ta cả đời.
- Nếu cho người khác một con cá, bạn sẽ chỉ nuôi sống người đó một ngày. Còn nếu dạy anh ta cách câu cá, bạn sẽ nuôi sống anh ta cả đời.knowledge or training is more helpful charity
Cite this entry
give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20a%20man%20a%20fish%20and%20you%20feed%20him%20for%20a%20day%3B%20teach%20a%20man%20to%20fish%20and%20you%20feed%20him%20for%20a%20lifetime
“give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20a%20man%20a%20fish%20and%20you%20feed%20him%20for%20a%20day%3B%20teach%20a%20man%20to%20fish%20and%20you%20feed%20him%20for%20a%20lifetime. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/give%20a%20man%20a%20fish%20and%20you%20feed%20him%20for%20a%20day%3B%20teach%20a%20man%20to%20fish%20and%20you%20feed%20him%20for%20a%20lifetime.
Source: give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.