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  What it means

  Literally “Man is a wolf to man.” This proverb expresses a harsh view of human nature — that people are predatory toward each other, treating fellow humans with cruelty, selfishness, or ruthlessness rather than solidarity. It is used when commenting on betrayal, exploitation, cutthroat competition, or any situation where someone suffers at the hands of another person. The wolf symbolizes aggression and predation.

  English equivalent

  Man is wolf to man / Every man for himself

  Vocabulary

  • człowiek — human, man, person
  • człowiekowi — to a person, for a person (dative of 'człowiek')
  • wilkiem — a wolf (instrumental of 'wilk')

  Grammar note

  The structure uses two cases: dative ('człowiekowi' — to/for a person) and instrumental ('wilkiem' — as a wolf). The dative marks the one who is affected, while the instrumental is used in Polish for a predicate noun following 'być' (to be) or in equative constructions. The sentence means: 'A person is (like) a wolf to another person.' This is a classic nominative-dative-instrumental proverbial structure.

  Cultural context

  This phrase is a Polish rendering of the Latin 'homo homini lupus,' attributed to the Roman playwright Plautus and later popularized by the philosopher Thomas Hobbes. It entered Polish folk and literary tradition and remains widely known today. It is used in serious contexts — journalism, political commentary, literature — as well as in everyday speech when expressing cynicism about human behavior. It has a neutral to formal register.

  Intermediate

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