- English translation
A woman's standing falls when she is often away from home.
- Literal wording
A woman who goes out of her house sees her worth diminished.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying expresses a traditional, gendered belief that a woman's respectability is tied to remaining at home. It judges frequent public outings as reducing the esteem others grant her, rather than treating women's mobility as neutral or ordinary.
It may be invoked to praise seclusion and criticize a woman perceived as going out too often. Its force reflects expectations about female modesty, reputation, and domestic conduct, not an objective consequence of leaving home; it can also be used to shame or control women.
- When it is used
Use only when describing or quoting this restrictive traditional view of women's public movement. It can sound judgmental, demeaning, or offensive in contemporary discussion, so frame it critically or attribute it to the viewpoint it conveys rather than endorsing its gendered standard.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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