Watch your back

Definition

Be careful and alert to potential threats or betrayal; stay vigilant about people who might harm you.

Etymology

This phrase draws from basic survival instincts and military tactics, where enemies often attack from behind where you can't see them. The expression gained popularity in the 20th century, extending from physical danger to metaphorical threats like workplace betrayal or social backstabbing.

Kelly Says

The phrase taps into our deepest evolutionary fears - humans are uniquely vulnerable to rear attacks because we can't rotate our heads like owls. This physical limitation created a psychological metaphor so powerful that 'backstabbing' and 'watching your back' appear in cultures worldwide, showing how anatomy shapes language.

Translations

AMአማርኛ
እንቅስቃሴ ይከበረከብረው
ənəkʷəsəkʷase yəkəbərəkəbərəw
ARالعربية
انتبه لظهرك
intabih liẓharak
BNবাংলা
পিছনের দিকে মনোযোগ দাও
pichhoner dike monoyog dao
CACatalà
vigila l'esquena
bi.ʒi.la ləs.ˈke.na
CSČeština
dávej si pozor na záda
da.vɛj si po.zor na za.da
DADansk
pas på ryggen
pas pɔ ˈʁœɡ̊n
DEDeutsch
auf deine Rückseite achten
aʊf ˈdaɪ̯nə ˈʁʏkzaɪ̯t ˈaxtən
ELΕλληνικά
προσέξτε την πλάτη
proséxte tin pláti
ESEspañol
cuidado con tu espalda
kwiˈðaðo kon tu eˈspalda
FAفارسی
به پشتت توجه کن
be poshtet tavajoh kon
FISuomi
varo selkäsi
ˈʋɑro ˈselkæsi
FRFrançais
regarde derrière toi
ʁəɡaʁd dɛʁjɛʁ twa
GUGU
પાછળ ધ્યાન રાખ
pāchhḷa dhyāna rākh
HAHA
kula da baya
ku.la da ba.ya
HEעברית
שמור על גבך
shmor al gavakh
HIहिन्दी
पीछे का ध्यान रख
pīchhe kā dhyān rakh
HUMagyar
vigyázz a hátadra
viɡjaːz a haːta.dra
IDBahasa Indonesia
hati-hati dengan punggung
ha.ti-ha.ti de.ngan pung.gung
IGIG
lee anya azu gi
le.e a.ɲa a.zu gi
ITItaliano
stai attento alla schiena
ˈstai atˈtɛnto ˈalla ˈskjɛːna
JA日本語
後ろを気をつけろ
ushiro o ki o tsukero
KKKK
артқа көз сал
artqa koz sal
KMKM
មើលផ្នែកក្រោយ
məl phnɛk kraoy
KO한국어
뒤를 조심해
dwireul josis-hae
MRMR
मागे लक्ष द्या
māgē lakṣa dyā
MSBahasa Melayu
jaga belakang
ja.gah be.la.kang
MYမြန်မာ
နောက်ကို ဂရုမပြုပါ
nauʔ kui gə ru mu pru pa
NLNederlands
kijk uit voor je rug
kɛik ʌut voːr jə rʏx
NONorsk
pass på ryggen
pas pɔ ˈryɡːn
PAPA
ਪਿੱਛੇ ਧਿਆਨ ਦਿਓ
pichhe dhiyān dio
PLPolski
zwróć uwagę na plecy
zvrɔtɕ ˈuvɑɡɛɲ na ˈplɛt͡sɨ
PTPortuguês
cuidado com as costas
ku.iˈða.du kõ ˈa.zɨ ˈkɔ.stɐz
RORomână
ai grijă la spate
aj ɡri.jə la spa.te
RUРусский
смотри за спиной
smotri za spinoy
SVSvenska
se upp för ryggen
se ʊp fœr ˈryɡɛn
SWKiswahili
angalia nyuma yako
a.ŋɡa.lia ɲu.ma ja.ko
TAதமிழ்
பின்னால் கவனமாக இரு
piṇṇāl kavaṇamāka iru
TEతెలుగు
వెనుక జాగ్రత్త పడు
venuka jāgratta paḍu
THไทย
ระวังหลัง
rawang lang
TLTL
mag-ingat sa likuran
ma.gi.ngat sa li.ku.ran
TRTürkçe
arkana dikkat et
ar.ka.na dik.ket et
UKУкраїнська
дивись за спиною
dyvysʹ za spy-noyu
URاردو
پچھلے کی طرف توجہ دیں
pichhle ki taraf tawajah den
VITiếng Việt
cẩn thận với lưng
khan thạn vói lưng
YOYO
ṣe aṣẹ yin lọwọ
ʃe aʃe yin lo.wo
ZH中文
注意后面
zhù yì hòu mian
ZUZU
bheka ezinye
bhe.ka e.zi.ɲe

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