ProverbWisdom
Dutch origin
Dutch originVoorzichtigheid is de moeder van de porseleinkast
Meaning: Being careful keeps fragile things, and situations, intact.
Literally: Caution is the mother of the china cabinet
Example: “Rijd maar langzaam met die verhuisdozen. Voorzichtigheid is de moeder van de porseleinkast.” — Drive slowly with those moving boxes: better safe than sorry.
Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, German, and 4 more languages
English: Better safe than sorry
French: Mieux vaut prévenir que guérir (literally: Better to prevent than to cure)
Spanish: Más vale prevenir que lamentar (literally: Better to prevent than to regret)
Japanese: 備えあれば憂いなし (Sonae areba urei nashi) (literally: If prepared, there is no worry)
German: Vorsicht ist besser als Nachsicht (literally: Caution is better than hindsight)
Italian: La prudenza non è mai troppa (literally: You can never have too much caution)
Portuguese: Mais vale prevenir do que remediar (literally: Better to prevent than to cure)
Russian: Бережёного Бог бережёт (Berezhyonogo Bog berezhyot) (literally: God protects those who protect themselves)
Polish: Strzeżonego Pan Bóg strzeże (literally: God guards those who guard themselves)
Origin: A joking image: only a careful hand keeps the good china whole.
Explore another collection: Compliments & Insults
Compliments and insults from around the world, from the sweet to the savage.
- Без царя в голове (Bez tsarya v golove) Foolish and reckless — with no one in charge upstairs.
- Cabeça de alho chocho A forgetful scatterbrain whose thoughts won't stay put.
- Tu es mon rayon de soleil A warm way to tell someone they brighten your day.
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