The pot calling the kettle black is a phrase used to describe a situation where a person accuses someone else of a fault, flaw, or behavior that they themselves possess or commit.
For instance, if one person who is selfish accuses another person of being selfish, we would call this ‘the pot calling the kettle black.’
“Pot Calling the Kettle Black” vs. “Hypocrite”
While this idiom involves hypocritical behavior, it is not a direct synonym for the word “hypocrite.”
Understanding the distinction is key to using the phrase correctly in conversation and writing:
- Scope: A hypocrite is anyone who acts contrary to their stated beliefs or moral standards. The pot calling the kettle black applies only to the specific situation where someone criticizes another person for the exact same flaw they have.
- Tone & Intensity: Calling someone a hypocrite is an aggressive, direct personal attack. The idiom uses irony and color to point out a double standard, making it less confrontational and more conversational.
- Context: Saying “You’re a hypocrite!” can leave the listener confused about which specific standard was violated. Saying “Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!” instantly explains why the criticism is invalid, because the speaker has “no room to talk” (they share the same flaw; have done the same thing, etc.).
Origin & Etymology
The expression traces back to early 17th-century literature, appearing in Miguel de Cervantes’s Don Quixote (1605) as “The frying-pan said to the kettle, ‘Get away, black-brow!'”
Its modern English phrasing was popularized in the 1600s and 1700s, reflecting everyday household cooking conditions:
Open-Flame Cast Iron
In early modern kitchens, both pots and kettles were made of cast iron and placed directly over open wood or coal fires. Over time, soot and grime stained both vessels completely black.
If a black pot were to look at a kettle and accuse it of being dirty or blackened by the fire, it would be blind to its own identical state.
Video Presentation
Sentence Examples
“Fred said that Bernard can’t get along with his co-workers,” said Mr. Evigan. “Fred said that?” replied Tammy. “Fred can’t get along with anybody. He’s the rudest person I know. That’s a case of the pot calling the kettle black.”
“I can’t believe Bert called me cheap! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!”
“So you’re getting another divorce, huh? Maybe marriage isn’t for you,” said Jefferson. “You’ve been divorced four times!” said Aaron. “Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?”
“I just came in and caught him planting this stuff. It’s obviously some primitive attempt to frame me.” “Frame you? Boy, if that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black.” — Trading Places (1983)
“That is one willful child. Pain in the butt, if you ask me.” “lsn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?” — The Client (1994)
Similar Idioms & Related Expressions
- Takes One to Know One: Used to state that a person who is criticizing someone of being a certain way or a certain thing shares that trait.
- That’s Rich (coming from you): Used to point out the irony or absurdity of a person’s criticism when they are guilty of the exact same behavior.
- Practice What You Preach: A common expression used to tell someone they should follow the same advice or standards they demand from others.
- Look Who’s Talking: Very similar to pot calling the kettle black – when someone says something negative about someone else, a way of telling them that the same is true of themselves. (Also: You’re a fine one to talk)
- People Who live in Glass Houses Shouldn’t Throw Stones: people who have faults should not criticize others.
- Why Don’t You Look in the Mirror?: A pointed suggestion that a person should examine their own faults before criticizing others for having the same flaws.