talk is cheap

English

Proverb

talk is cheap

1. (idiomatic) It is easy to make boastful or unrealistic statements which are not supported by actions or evidence.
   • 1915, Jack London, chapter 2, in The Star-Rover:

     Cecil Winwood accepted the test. He claimed that he could dope the guards the night of the break.

     "Talk is cheap," said Long Bill Hodge. "What we want is the goods. Dope one of the guards to-night."

Translations

it is easy to make boastful statements which are not supported by actions

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Finnish: puhe on halpaa

• French: please add this translation if you can
• Maori: he kōrero i pahawa
• Russian: болта́ть - не мешки́ воро́чать (boltátʹ - ne meškí voróčatʹ), хва́стать - не коси́ть, спина́ не боли́т (xvástatʹ - ne kosítʹ, spiná ne bolít)

See also

• actions speak louder than words
• money talks, bullshit walks
• talk the talk