The rose is the most popular flower across the globe, and these flowers have attracted rich symbolism over the centuries. You could say that “every rose has its thorn” if you need a poetic way to express that nothing is perfect. Read on to learn more about this phrase and its meaning.
Meaning
The English idiom “every rose has its thorn” means that nobody and nothing is perfect. No matter how incredible something appears to be, there is always a downside.
Every rose has its thorn is an idiom that translates very well because many other languages — including French and Italian — have similar phrases.
This phrase is not necessarily pessimistic. Saying that “every rose has its thorn” may be a simple statement of fact or even an inspirational saying encouraging people to accept flaws.
Example Usage
Would you like to use the phrase “every rose has its thorn”? These example sentences show you how you can use this expression:
- “My boyfriend cooks, cleans, and has a funny sense of humor, but he watches soccer all day every Saturday and I hate that. I guess every rose has its thorn.”
- “I have a wonderful new job, but it turns out I do have to work Sundays. Every rose has its thorn, as they say. I’m still thrilled.”
- “Thorn-free roses were created quite a while ago, so it would be wrong to say that every rose has its thorn. Still, it’s quite possible thornless roses have disadvantages too.”
Origin
Roses have been popular for at least 4,000 years. These flowers are beautiful and fragrant, and they also have medicinal purposes. They are also relatively easy to grow, no matter where in the world you are.
Roses seem like perfect flowers. If roses didn’t have thorns, they would be the perfect flowers. Roses wouldn’t be roses without their thorns, though, and there is beauty in this hostile feature too.
The widespread idiom “every rose has its thorn” alludes to this fact. Nothing is perfect, not even roses.
It is not clear where this idiom first arose. However, like roses, variations exist in many languages. Languages that have their own versions of this idiom include Dutch, Italian, French, and Persian.
The first recorded instance of “every rose has its thorn” in English dates back to the 17th century, but the idiom may have existed much earlier.
“Every rose has its thorn” remains well-known today in part thanks to pop culture references. A song made by Poison explains why the phrase has its own Urban Dictionary entry from 2005.
Phrases Similar to Every Rose Has Its Thorn
Are you looking for a different expression that conveys a similar meaning? Instead of “every rose has its thorn,” you can also say:
- Nobody is perfect or nothing is perfect.
- We all make mistakes.
- Every silver lining has a cloud. This phrase turns a popular idiom on its head.
Phrases Opposite to Every Rose Has Its Thorn
“Every cloud has a silver lining” is an idiom that means the opposite of “every rose has its thorn.” It means you can find positive things in every situation, no matter how difficult.
What Is the Correct Saying?
The correct saying is “every rose has its thorn.” You may also hear “every rose has a thorn.” This saying means that nothing is perfect.
Ways People May Say Every Rose Has Its Thorn Incorrectly
French and Italian speakers may directly translate the phrase from their own languages. Keep in mind that “there is no rose without a thorn” is not the correct expression in English.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Every Rose Has Its Thorn
You can use the phrase “every rose has its thorn” to point out that nothing is perfect, and that’s OK. We accept the inevitable cons that accompany all pros.
Just as roses remain wonderful, thorns and all, near-perfect situations are there to be appreciated and embraced. We’re all perfectly imperfect in a flawed world.