ночью все кошки серы

Russian

Etymology

Cf. earlier French la nuit, tous les chats sont gris (“all cats are gray in the dark”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈnot͡ɕjʊ fsʲe ˈkoʂkʲɪ ˈsʲerɨ]

Proverb

но́чью все ко́шки се́ры • (nóčʹju vse kóški séry)

1. "At night, all cats are gray": The innocent and guilty are blamed alike in bad situations

Usage notes

Note the difference from the usual French and English meaning of the same expression. Frequently used to attempt to avoid deserved blame.

References

• "163. ночью все кошки серы", Anatoly Semenov, When in Russia, Speak Like a Russian, 2020.