Explore Arabic traditional proverbsReviewed 2026-10-26
Meaning: Verified- English translation
A person who leaves no leftovers is still hungry.
- Literal wording
Whoever leaves nothing behind is hungry.
- Meaning and lesson
Rather than asking whether someone has eaten enough, the proverb lets the bottom of the dish give the answer: when not a single morsel remains, appetite is presumed to be still at work.
The same reading carries over to any case where someone draws a supply down to nothing. The emptiness left behind serves as a visible sign that the person's need or desire for that thing has not yet been met.
- When it is used
Someone might say it on seeing a dish wiped completely clean, or extend it to anyone who uses up every bit of something on offer, hinting that this person would gladly take more.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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