بڑی مچھلی چھوٹی مچھلی کو کھاتی ہے
بڑی مچھلی چھوٹی مچھلی کو کھاتی ہے
Big fish eat small fish
معنی
Powerful dominate the weak.
زمینه فرهنگی
In Pakistan, this phrase is frequently used in political talk shows to describe the 'VIP culture' where the powerful are above the law. Often used in the context of the 'Zamindari' (landlord) history, where landlords exploited peasants. Used by startup founders in Karachi or Lahore when discussing the difficulty of competing with international giants like Amazon or Careem. Urdu poets often use the 'fish' or 'predator' imagery to lament the state of the world (Dunya).
Use for Empathy
Use this phrase to show someone you understand their struggle against a powerful opponent. It shows you are 'on their side' against the system.
Gender Agreement
Always remember 'machhli' is feminine. Saying 'Bara machhla' is a common mistake that will make you sound very non-native.
معنی
Powerful dominate the weak.
Use for Empathy
Use this phrase to show someone you understand their struggle against a powerful opponent. It shows you are 'on their side' against the system.
Gender Agreement
Always remember 'machhli' is feminine. Saying 'Bara machhla' is a common mistake that will make you sound very non-native.
The 'Ko' Particle
Don't drop the 'ko'. In Urdu proverbs, the object marker is often what gives the sentence its rhythmic 'punch'.
خودت رو بسنج
Fill in the missing words to complete the proverb.
بڑی مچھلی ______ مچھلی کو ______ ہے۔
The proverb specifically uses 'chhoti' (small) and 'khati' (eats).
Which situation best fits the proverb?
A giant supermarket opens and all the small local shops close down.
This situation describes a power imbalance where the large entity consumes the small ones.
Choose the grammatically correct version of the proverb.
Identify the correct sentence:
It requires feminine adjectives/verbs and the object marker 'ko'.
Complete the dialogue with the proverb.
احمد: 'امیر لوگ ہمیشہ غریبوں کا حق مارتے ہیں۔' سارہ: 'ہاں، سچ ہے کہ ______۔'
The context of rich vs poor fits the proverb perfectly.
🎉 امتیاز: /4
ابزارهای بصری یادگیری
بانک تمرین
4 تمرینهابڑی مچھلی ______ مچھلی کو ______ ہے۔
The proverb specifically uses 'chhoti' (small) and 'khati' (eats).
A giant supermarket opens and all the small local shops close down.
This situation describes a power imbalance where the large entity consumes the small ones.
Identify the correct sentence:
It requires feminine adjectives/verbs and the object marker 'ko'.
احمد: 'امیر لوگ ہمیشہ غریبوں کا حق مارتے ہیں۔' سارہ: 'ہاں، سچ ہے کہ ______۔'
The context of rich vs poor fits the proverb perfectly.
🎉 امتیاز: /4
سوالات متداول
10 سوالYes, it is almost always used to describe an unfair or predatory situation. It is not used for positive growth.
Absolutely. It is almost *only* used for people, companies, or countries, despite the fish imagery.
It's neutral-to-formal. You can use it in a newspaper article or a chat with a friend.
There isn't a direct 'opposite' proverb, but 'اتفاق میں برکت ہے' (Unity is a blessing) is often used as the solution to this problem.
Because in the ocean, there are no laws, only the food chain. It's the perfect metaphor for a lawless society.
Yes, in Urdu, the word for fish is always treated as feminine.
No, proverbs are fixed. You must use 'Bari machhli'.
Very often! It's a classic line for a villain or a cynical hero.
Not at all. It is still very relevant in modern business and political discussions.
This proverb is the closest equivalent to that English expression.
عبارات مرتبط
جس کی لاٹھی اس کی بھینس
synonymMight is right.
زبردست کا ٹھینگا سر پر
similarThe powerful person's thumb is on your head.
طاقتور کا راج
specialized formRule of the powerful.
غریب کی جورو سب کی بھابی
contrastA poor man's wife is everyone's sister-in-law.
