it takes one to know one

English

Alternative forms

• takes one to know one

Proverb

it takes one to know one

1. (colloquial, childish) A retort to a negative accusation, implying that the accuser shares the fault.

   Bob: You're an idiot!

   Tony: Takes one to know one!

   • 1949, Nial Kent, The Divided Path, page 358:

     There's an unkind saying that it takes one to know one, and it's almost true.

   • 1947, Poet Lore, page 280:

     Anyone who appreciates Shakespeare as this author unquestionably does is another Shakespeare — it takes one to know one!

   • 1946, Gore Vidal, Williwaw, page 45:

     “I’ve got a bad egg,” said Bervick. “I guess this was a pre-war egg.” […]
     “It takes one to know one,” said the Chief, referring back to the eggs.

   • 1980, Gerald Ford, “Problems Multiply”, in A Time to Heal‎^[1], New York: Berkley Books, →ISBN, →OCLC, →OL, page 209:

     Brezhnev pretended a scowl. "Kissinger is such a scoundrel," he said.
     But Henry was ready for that. "It takes one to know one," he replied.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:it takes one to know one.

Translations

an insult which is true about both the sender and the receiver

• Catalan: pensa el lladre que tothom roba
• Danish: tyv tror, at hver mand stjæler ("A thief believes everybody steals")
• Finnish: kyllä koira koiran tuntee
• French: c’est celui qui dit qui l’est (fr)
• Irish: aithníonn ciaróg ciaróg eile
• Italian: il bue che dice cornuto all'asino
• Polish: swój swojego zawsze pozna
• Russian: каждый судит по себе (každyj sudit po sebe)
• Spanish: piensa el ladrón que todos son de su condición

See also

• if the shoe fits, wear it
• I know you are but what am I
• look who's talking
• pot calling the kettle black