Meaning
'Howdy an tenky bruk no square' — 'howdy' (hello) and 'thank you' break no squares, that is, good manners cost you nothing and do no harm. A little courtesy — a greeting, a word of thanks — never damages anything and can only do good, the proverb teaches, so there is never any reason to withhold politeness. It gently upholds the value of manners and civility, reminding that saying please and thank you takes nothing from you and smooths the way with everyone.
Examples
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Always greet di elders; howdy an tenky bruk no square.
Always greet the elders; courtesy costs nothing.
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Say thanks, it nuh cost yuh nutten — howdy an tenky bruk no square.
Say thanks, it costs you nothing — manners break no squares.
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Manners tek yuh through di worl; howdy an tenky bruk no square.
Manners carry you through the world; politeness never does harm.
Origin
'Bruk no square' means to break nothing, cause no damage — so a 'howdy' and a 'thank you' cost nothing and harm no one, however freely they are given.
How it’s used
A gentle teaching about manners and courtesy — that being polite is always worth it and never a loss.