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  What it means

  Literally “to kick a person who is already lying on the ground.” This idiom means to attack, criticize, or harm someone who is already down — in a weak, vulnerable, or defeated position. It implies that piling on someone who is already suffering is cowardly and dishonourable. Poles use it to call out unfair treatment of someone who cannot defend themselves.

  Vocabulary

  • kopać — to kick (imperfective verb)
  • leżący — lying down, prostrate (present participle)
  • leżącego — of the one lying down (genitive masculine singular)

  Grammar note

  The verb 'kopać' normally takes the accusative case, but 'leżącego' is genitive. The genitive here may reflect the historical use of genitive for animate objects in certain constructions, or function as a partitive genitive. The participle 'leżącego' (from 'leżeć,' to lie down) acts as a noun meaning 'the one who is lying.'

  Cultural context

  A phrase rooted in the moral code of fair play — attacking someone unable to fight back is considered deeply shameful in Polish culture. It appears in sports commentary, political debates, and ethical discussions. The English equivalent is 'to kick someone when they're down.'

  Intermediate

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