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  What it means

  “The shirt is closer to the body than the peasant coat.” A regional variant of the same proverb, using ‘sukmana’ — the traditional long woollen coat worn by Polish peasants.

  English equivalent

  Near is my shirt, but nearer is my skin.

  Vocabulary

  • sukmana — sukmana — traditional Polish peasant's long woollen coat

  Grammar note

  Same comparative structure as the kaftan variant.

  Cultural context

  The 'sukmana' was the everyday outer garment of Polish rural folk, making this variant distinctly rooted in peasant culture.

  Intermediate

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