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  What it means

  “Man does not live by bread alone.” People need more than material sustenance — spiritual, intellectual, and emotional nourishment are equally essential.

  English equivalent

  Man does not live by bread alone.

  Vocabulary

  • sam — alone, only, by itself
  • chleb — bread
  • żyć — to live

  Grammar note

  'Samym chlebem' is the instrumental case — 'by bread alone'. The instrumental is used here to express means or manner.

  Cultural context

  Derived from the Bible (Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4), this proverb is widely known in Poland due to the country's strong Catholic tradition.

  Beginner

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