A pot calls the kettle black

[ray8838]

A pot calls the kettle black.
What is the meaning behind?

 

[Hermione Golightly]

In the olden days kettles and cooking pots both became black from being used over the open fire. 'To call' means to 'accuse' or 'blame', in this saying. The saying means that somebody is accusing/blaming another of something the accuser is equally guilty/blameworthy of.

 

[dojibear]

It is used in this situation:

A criticizes B about some specific flaw that B has.
But A has the same flaw, even worse than B.
So we think A should not criticize B about this flaw.

A is the pot, B is the kettle.

 

[ray8838]

Thanks