Meaning
To ignore something obvious or pretend not to have seen it, often to avoid trouble.
Cultural Background
In Iranian culture, 'Aaberu-dari' (maintaining honor) is paramount. This phrase is a tool to help others keep their face by ignoring their minor lapses. The phrase is also widely used in Dari, reflecting the shared Persian literary and folk heritage where desert survival metaphors are common. Tajik speakers use this proverb, though sometimes with slight dialectal variations in pronunciation, to emphasize community silence. The concept of 'seeing but not seeing' is a recurring theme in Sufi poetry, where the mystic must keep the secrets of God hidden from the uninitiated.
The Wink Factor
This phrase is 50% verbal and 50% body language. A small wink or a finger to the lips makes it much more natural.
Don't over-pluralize
Even if you are talking to three people, 'Shotor didi, nadidi' (singular) sounds more like a classic proverb than 'didid, nadidid'.
Meaning
To ignore something obvious or pretend not to have seen it, often to avoid trouble.
The Wink Factor
This phrase is 50% verbal and 50% body language. A small wink or a finger to the lips makes it much more natural.
Don't over-pluralize
Even if you are talking to three people, 'Shotor didi, nadidi' (singular) sounds more like a classic proverb than 'didid, nadidid'.
Test Yourself
Complete the proverb.
شتر دیدی، _______.
The proverb is 'Shotor didi, nadidi' (You saw the camel, you didn't see it).
In which situation is 'Shotor didi, nadidi' most appropriate?
Situation: You see your brother eating the cake your mom made for a party.
This phrase is used when you witness a 'crime' and agree to keep it a secret.
Choose the best response.
A: 'Did you see who broke the window?' B: (He saw it was his best friend) '_______'
B wants to protect his friend, so he uses the proverb to signal he's staying out of it.
What is the main cultural value behind this phrase?
The phrase 'Shotor didi, nadidi' primarily reflects:
The phrase is about the wisdom of feigned ignorance for social harmony and self-preservation.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesشتر دیدی، _______.
The proverb is 'Shotor didi, nadidi' (You saw the camel, you didn't see it).
Situation: You see your brother eating the cake your mom made for a party.
This phrase is used when you witness a 'crime' and agree to keep it a secret.
A: 'Did you see who broke the window?' B: (He saw it was his best friend) '_______'
B wants to protect his friend, so he uses the proverb to signal he's staying out of it.
The phrase 'Shotor didi, nadidi' primarily reflects:
The phrase is about the wisdom of feigned ignorance for social harmony and self-preservation.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsIt can be, as it implies you both are involved in something secretive. Use it only if there's a shared understanding of a situation.
No, the camel is just a metaphor for anything obvious. You could be talking about a spilled coffee or a secret romance.
Only in a very casual email to a close colleague. It's too informal for official business communication.
It comes from a folk tale about a man who described a lost camel perfectly but claimed he never saw it to avoid being accused of stealing it.
The formal equivalent would be 'Chashm-pooshi kardan' (to overlook) or 'Naside gereftan' (to ignore).
It suggests that the act of 'not seeing' is already a settled fact, making the secret safer.
Yes, it is very common in Dari-speaking regions of Afghanistan with the same meaning.
No, that would just be a normal sentence. This proverb is specifically for when you *did* see something but choose to lie about it.
If someone is angry that you saw something, saying this can be a way to calm them down by promising silence.
Exactly. It is the quintessential Persian way of playing dumb.
Related Phrases
خود را به کوچه علیچپ زدن
similarTo play dumb or ignore the obvious.
انگار نه انگار
similarAs if nothing happened.
چشمپوشی کردن
formalTo overlook or forgive.
دمت گرم
builds onWell done / Thank you.
