proverb · Source-linked selection
It is better to leave the child’s nose dirty than wring it off.
It is better to leave the child’s nose dirty than wring it off.
In print by 1857 AD · industrial
Recorded in a printed collection by this date; the original date of these words is still unknown.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
A cure can cause more harm than the small problem it addresses. Correct gently and proportionately rather than pursuing a spotless result at someone’s expense.
What the words are saying
The dirty nose is a minor imperfection; injuring it in the effort to clean it is a much greater harm. The exaggerated contrast makes proportionality visible. Before correcting a fault, consider its actual consequences and the effects of the proposed response. A small mistake may need a brief explanation, a quiet adjustment or no intervention at all. The image gives particular weight to the wellbeing of the person affected. It does not suggest neglecting an important problem; it asks that the remedy be better than the condition.
Everyday example
A teacher corrects one small mistake privately rather than humiliating a child in front of the class to make the exercise look perfect.
When to use it
Use it when a proposed correction risks creating a greater harm.
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What it does not mean
Some apparently small problems have serious consequences. Assess the real risk rather than assuming that every correction is excessive.
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 (French-language collection)
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- In print by 1857 AD · industrial
In print by 1857: recorded in A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857). Collection publication is an upper bound for this wording, not its earliest origin, composition date or the author's lifetime.
An author lifetime, approximate period or collection date is not necessarily the date when these words were first written or spoken. - Recorded source
- A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857) (1857 AD)
Printed page 22; French section, paragraph 437; source wording: Il faut laisser l’enfant morveux plutôt que lui arracher le nez.
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.