Measure twice, cut once
Meaning: Take time to plan carefully before acting, to avoid costly and irreversible mistakes.
Origin: A craftsman's rule from carpentry and tailoring: a cut cannot be undone, so check the measurement first. Older versions set the number at seven, as Russian still does, and a Cheshire proverb of 1688 has "score twice before you cut once."
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: Mesure deux fois, coupe une fois (literally: Measure twice, cut once)
- Spanish: Mide dos veces y corta una (literally: Measure twice and cut once)
- Japanese: 二度測って一度切れ (Nido hakatte ichido kire) (literally: Measure twice, cut once)
- German: Erst wägen, dann wagen (literally: First weigh, then dare)
More proverbs about Wisdom
- The best mirror is an old friend — True friends who have known us for a long time see us most clearly and honestly.
- He who fights with monsters should look to it that he does not become one — In struggling against evil, we risk adopting the very characteristics we oppose.
- Wisdom begins in wonder — Curiosity and a sense of amazement at the world are the foundations of all knowledge.
- He who is everywhere is nowhere — Trying to do too many things at once means accomplishing nothing properly.
- Do not go where the path may lead; go where there is no path and leave a trail — True innovation and leadership mean forging your own way rather than following the crowd.
- A nail is driven out by another nail — New habits, relationships, or ideas can effectively replace and eliminate old ones.
From our tongue twisters
- Rødgrød med fløde. — The legendary soft-d and rounded 'ø' test — the phrase Danes use to spot a non-native ins…
- Nồi đồng nấu ốc, nồi đất nấu ếch. — A tonal drill that swaps vowels and tones (đồng/đất, ốc/ếch) while the rhythm stays stead…
- Setze jutges d'un jutjat mengen fetge d'un penjat. — The famous 'j / tg / tj' test for the voiced sound Spanish lacks — a true Catalan shibbol…