Meanings
- Two parts of an organization are unaware of each other's activities.
Origin
Compare the Bible, Matthew 6:3: "But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing."
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish vasen käsi ei tiedä mitä oikea tekee
- vasen käsi ei tiedä mitä oikea tekeetwo parts of an organization are unaware of each other's activities
Hungarian nem tudja a bal kéz, mit csinál a jobb
- nem tudja a bal kéz, mit csinál a jobbtwo parts of an organization are unaware of each other's activities
Italian la mano destra non sa quello che fa la mano sinistra
- la mano destra non sa quello che fa la mano sinistratwo parts of an organization are unaware of each other's activities
Polish niech lewa ręka nie wie, co czyni prawa
- niech lewa ręka nie wie, co czyni prawatwo parts of an organization are unaware of each other's activities
Portuguese a mão esquerda não sabe o que faz a direita
- a mão esquerda não sabe o que faz a direitatwo parts of an organization are unaware of each other's activities
Spanish la mano izquierda no sabe lo que hace la derecha
- la mano izquierda no sabe lo que hace la derechatwo parts of an organization are unaware of each other's activities
Cite this entry
the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20left%20hand%20doesn't%20know%20what%20the%20right%20hand%20is%20doing
“the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20left%20hand%20doesn't%20know%20what%20the%20right%20hand%20is%20doing. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20left%20hand%20doesn't%20know%20what%20the%20right%20hand%20is%20doing.
Source: the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.