sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me

English

Alternative forms

• sticks and stones; sticks and stones may break my bones; sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me; sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me; sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me

Etymology

The earliest recording dates from March 1862 in the US, but is implied to have been used earlier.

Phrase

sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me

1. (idiomatic) A response to taunting proclaiming the speaker's indifference.

   Synonym: the pen is mightier than the sword

   Antonym: the tongue wounds more than a lance

Usage notes

• Mostly used by young children.

Translations

a response to taunting proclaiming the speaker's indifference

• Finnish: ei haukku haavaa tee, joka toista haukkuu, sen napa paukkuu
• French: la bave du crapaud n'atteint pas la blanche colombe (fr)
• German: Was kümmert's die Eiche wenn die Sau dran schabt
• Hindi: लाठी और पत्थर मेरी हड्डियों को तोड़ सकते हैं, लेकिन शब्द मुझे कभी चोट नहीं देंगे (lāṭhī aur patthar merī haḍḍiyõ ko toṛ sakte ha͠i, lekin śabd mujhe kabhī coṭ nahī̃ deṅge)
• Polish: kije i kamienie kości mi połamią, ale słowa nigdy mnie nie zranią
• Romanian: câinii latră, ursul merge, nu mor caii când vor câinii
• Russian: хоть горшко́м назови́, то́лько в пе́чку не ставь (xotʹ gorškóm nazoví, tólʹko v péčku ne stavʹ)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: дрвље и камење

  Roman: drvlje i kamenje

• Spanish: a palabras necias, oídos sordos

See also

• don't feed the troll