count one's chickens before they hatch
Meaning: To rely on something good before it has actually happened.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “He's already planning the party, but don't count your chickens before they hatch.”
Category: Animals
Origin: Not every egg becomes a chicken, as Aesop's fable of the milkmaid and her pail warns. The proverb "don't count your chickens before they are hatched" is recorded in English from the 16th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- Korean: 김칫국부터 마신다 (gimchitgukbuteo masinda) — literally: To drink the kimchi broth first
- Spanish: cuentas de la lechera — literally: accounts of the dairymaid
More idioms — Animals
- a dog's breakfast — A complete mess.
- not a peep — Not a sound, or not a word from someone.
- have a whale of a time — To enjoy oneself enormously.
- use someone as a cat's paw — To get someone else to do one's dirty work.
- play cat and mouse — To toy with someone one has power over.
- keep someone on a short leash — To keep someone under close control.
More English idioms
- give and take — Mutual compromise, where each side concedes something.
- on the sly — Secretly, so as not to be seen.
- small potatoes — Something unimportant or trivial.
- bail someone out — To rescue someone from trouble, especially by paying.
- a double-edged sword — Something with both good and bad consequences.
- blow the lid off — To expose a scandal or secret.
From our compliments & insults
- Du bist ein Goldstück — You're a real gem — priceless, irreplaceable, and deeply appreciated.
- Du hast ein Händchen dafür — You have a real knack — a natural gift that makes difficult things look easy.
- Du hast Köpfchen — You're sharp and clever — you use your brain well.