proverb · Words worth keeping
A small house will hold a hundred friends.
A small house will hold a hundred friends.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying lets a small house hold a hundred friends. It celebrates welcome and connection despite modest surroundings.
What the words are saying
The large count is emphasis rather than a verified capacity. A responsible interpretation values hospitality without ignoring actual space, accessibility or comfort. The supplied accommodation claim should not be treated as permission to exceed a building’s practical limits.
Everyday example
A host values welcome while choosing a gathering size that suits the space and participants.
When to use it
Use it to discuss hospitality without a literal capacity claim.
What it does not mean
No occupancy limit or guarantee that friendship removes practical constraints is established.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 704; PDF page 101
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.