Explore Arabic traditional proverbsReviewed 2026-10-23
Meaning: Verified- English translation
A person is like a bird, though not actually one.
- Literal wording
A human being is a bird that is not a bird.
- Meaning and lesson
Said in astonishment when a person moves from one place to another with striking speed, seeming to arrive almost as quickly as a bird.
It refers to one person, and its comparison with a bird is figurative: it marvels at rapid movement between places, not at literal flight or birdlike identity.
- When it is used
Use it when someone's swift appearance in a different place prompts surprise at how quickly that individual has travelled; it is a figurative remark about speed, not a claim that the person can fly.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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