Ink Licking

To lick ink is a beautiful expression used to describe individuals who are highly educated, well-read, and knowledgeable. When someone is said to have “licked a lot of ink,” it means that person spent many years in school and read extensively.

Where Does This Expression Come From?

There are two distinct and interesting stories about the origin of this expression:

• Calligraphers Correcting Mistakes: Before the advent of printing presses, books were written by hand. Those who wrote them were called “hattats.” To make the pen glide smoothly on paper, hattats applied a special liquid to the surface. When they made a mistake, there were no erasers at the time, so they moistened their fingers with their mouths and wiped away the ink from the paper. In the process, the ink would transfer to their tongues—they had literally “licked ink.”
• School Enrollment Ceremonies: In olden times, when children turned five and were ready to begin school, a ceremony called “Âmin Alayı” was held. During this ceremony, the teacher would write a beautiful prayer on a piece of paper and sprinkle sugar over it. The child, taking their first step into education, would lick the sugary writing. This sweet tradition symbolized a joyful beginning to the child’s educational journey.

Why Is It Important?

In the past, when very few people could read and write, having “licked ink” was a major reason for earning respect in society. Today, we still use this expression to convey admiration for educated and cultured individuals.

An image related to the expression (Generated by artificial intelligence.)

How Is It Used in Everyday Life?

You can use this expression to praise people around you who are highly educated, constantly improve themselves, and possess deep knowledge.

• Example: “My grandfather has licked a lot of ink; whenever I ask him something, he gives me valuable information as if from a book.”
• Example: “Only our teacher can solve this problem, after all, he has licked a lot of ink.”

When you use this expression about someone, you are indicating not only that they attended school, but also that they have read extensively, put in great effort, acquired a rich cultural background, and therefore deserve respect.