każdy sobie rzepkę skrobie

Polish

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Etymology

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Literally, everyone grates their own turnip; a line spoken by the Councillor's Wife in Act 1 of The Wedding by Stanisław Wyspiański:

Wyście sobie, a my sobie.
Każden sobie rzepkę skrobie.
You unto yourselves, and we unto ourselves.
Everyone grates their own turnip.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈkaʐ.dɨ ˈsɔ.bjɛ ˈʐɛp.kɛ ˈskrɔ.bjɛ/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɔbjɛ

Proverb

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każdy sobie rzepkę skrobie

  1. (idiomatic) it's every man for himself; everyone cares most about their own business
    • 1993, Adam Gierak, “Hałdziarze”, in Gazeta Wyborcza:
      Każdy sobie jest kierownikiem. I każdy sobie rzepkę skrobie. Ale się uważamy za rodzinę. Jeden drugiemu pomaga.
      Everyone's their own manager. And it's every man for himself. But we consider ourselves a family. We help each other.

Further reading

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