Uyghur Proverbs

The Uyghur are a Turkic-speaking Muslim people living in China and Central Asia. Modern Uyghur is written using three writing systems: Arabic-based alphabet in China, Cyrillic-based alphabet in Central Asia and Latin-based alphabet in other countries.

The Uyghur culture and language has a long history and is closely related to that of other Central Asian peoples, such as Uzbek.

The Uyghur word for "proverb" is ماقال / maqal / мақал.


Asmangha tükürseng, yüzüngge chüsher. / ئاسمانغا تۈكۈرسەڭ، يۈزۈڭگە چۈشەر / Асманға түкүрсәң, йүзүңгә чүшәр.

* English translation: If you spit skywards, it’ll end up on your face. (About arrogance or disrespect)


Xéridarda köz bolsa, qassap achtin öler. / خېرىداردا كۆز بولسا، قاسساپ ئاچتىن ئۆلەر / Херидарда көз болса, қассап ачтин өләр.

* English translation: Had the customers eyes, the butchers would die from hunger. (No trade or business is comlpetely honest)


Pul az bolsun, özi saz bolsun. / پۇل ئاز بولسۇن، ئۆزى ساز بولسۇن / Пул аз болсун, өзи саз болсун.

* English translation: So what if money is scarce, we ourselves can still be elegant. (Even in dire straits there is no reason to become bitter and direspectful)


Ishigi yoq mollaning qulaqi tinch. / ئىشىگى يوق موللانىڭ قۇلاقى تىنچ / Ишиги йоқ молланиң қулақи тинч.

* English translation: The mullah who has no donkey has peaceful ears,. (One can have peace and quite only if one has nothing, therefore it's best to put up with some inconveniences for the sake of progress)


It hürer, karwan yürer. / ئىت ھۈرەر، كارۋان يۈرەر / Ит һүрәр, карван йүрәр.

* English translation: The dog barks (but) the caravan moves on. (One should go on doing what one thinks is right paying no attention to those who criticize or accuse them)


Kirishtin burun chiqishni oyla. / كىرىشتىن بۇرۇن چىقىشنى ئويلا / Кириштин бурун чиқишни ойла.

* English translation: Before going in, think of how you will go out.