Meanings
proverb
alternative don't count your chickens before the eggs have hatched · alternative don't count your chickens before they hatch · alternative don't count your chickens before they've hatched · alternative don't count your chicks before they hatch · alternative don't count your chicks before they're hatched · alternative don't count your chickens · alternative don't count your chicks
- One should not depend upon a favorable (and typically overoptimistic) outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur.
[...] Make Fools believe in their fore-seeing / Of things before they are in Being; / To swallow Gudgeons ere th' are catch'd, / And count their Chickens ere th' are hatch'd, [...]
[1663 (indicated as 1664), [Samuel Butler], “The Second Part of Hudibras. Canto III.”, in Hudibras. The First and Second Parts. […], London: […] John Martyn and Henry Herringman, […], published 1678, →OCLC; republished in A[lfred] R[ayney] Waller, editor, Hudibras: Written in the Time of the Late Wars, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: University Press, 1905, →OCLC, page 175Synonyms: don't get your hopes up, don't sell the skin till you have caught the bear
Synonyms & antonyms
proverbOne should not depend upon a favorable (and typically overoptimistic) outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur.
Origin
First attested in English in Thomas Howell's New Sonnets and Pretty Pamphlets (1570) in the couplet "Counte not thy Chickens that vnhatched be, / Waye wordes as winde, till thou finde certaintee", possibly deriving from similar medieval and early modern Latin fables and maxims.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans moenie die beer se vel verkoop voordat hy geskiet is nie
- moenie die beer se vel verkoop voordat hy geskiet is nieone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Arabic لَا تَشْتَرِي ٱلسَّمَكَ وَهُوَ فِي ٱلْبَحْرِ بَلِ ٱنْتَظِرْ حَتَّى يُصْطَادَ
- لَا تَشْتَرِي ٱلسَّمَكَ وَهُوَ فِي ٱلْبَحْرِ بَلِ ٱنْتَظِرْ حَتَّى يُصْطَادَ (lā taštarī s-samaka wahuwa fī l-baḥri bali ntaẓir ḥattā yuṣṭāda)one should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Bulgarian не казвай хоп преди да си скочил, пилците се броят наесен
- не казвай хоп преди да си скочил (ne kazvaj hop predi da si skočil)one should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- пилците се броят наесен (pilcite se brojat naesen)one should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Catalan no diguis blat fins que no sigui al sac i ben lligat
- no diguis blat fins que no sigui al sac i ben lligatone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Chinese Mandarin (勿打)如意算盤 /(勿打)如意算盘, (別)一廂情願 /一厢情愿
- (勿打)如意算盤 /(勿打)如意算盘 (wù dǎ rúyìsuànpán)one should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- (別)一廂情願 /一厢情愿 (bié yīxiāngqíngyuàn)one should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- (別做)白日夢 /(别做)白日梦 (bié zuò báirìmèng)one should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Czech neříkej hop, dokud nepřeskočíš, nechval dne před večerem
- neříkej hop, dokud nepřeskočíšone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- nechval dne před večeremone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Danish pels ikke bjørnen før den er skudt
- pels ikke bjørnen før den er skudtone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Dutch de huid niet verkopen voor de beer geschoten is
- de huid niet verkopen voor de beer geschoten isone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Esperanto la manĝota fiŝo estas ankoraŭ en la rivero
- la manĝota fiŝo estas ankoraŭ en la riveroone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Finnish älä nuolaise ennen kuin tipahtaa, älä nylje karhua ennen kuin se on kaadettu
- älä nuolaise ennen kuin tipahtaaone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- älä nylje karhua ennen kuin se on kaadettuone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
French il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tué
- il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tuéone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
German man soll den Tag nicht vor dem Abend loben, man soll das Fell des Bären nicht verteilen, bevor er erlegt ist
- man soll den Tag nicht vor dem Abend lobenone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- man soll das Fell des Bären nicht verteilen, bevor er erlegt istone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Hindi सूत न कपास जुलाहों में लट्ठम-लट्ठा
- सूत न कपास जुलाहों में लट्ठम-लट्ठा (sūt na kapās julāhõ mẽ laṭṭham-laṭṭhā)one should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Hungarian ne igyál előre a medve bőrére, nyugtával dicsérd a napot
- ne igyál előre a medve bőréreone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- nyugtával dicsérd a napotone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Icelandic ekki er sopið kálið þó í ausuna sé komið, fyrr skal fuglinn veiddur en steiktur
- ekki er sopið kálið þó í ausuna sé komiðone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- fyrr skal fuglinn veiddur en steikturone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Irish ní breac é go raibh sé ar an bport
- ní breac é go raibh sé ar an bportone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Italian non dire gatto se non ce l'hai nel sacco, non cantare vittoria troppo presto
- non dire gatto se non ce l'hai nel saccoone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- non cantare vittoria troppo prestoone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Japanese 捕らぬ狸の皮算用
- 捕らぬ狸の皮算用 (toranu tanuki no kawazan'yō)one should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Korean 김칫국부터 마신다
- 김칫국부터 마신다 (gimchitguk-buteo masinda)one should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Latin ante victoriam ne canas triumphum
- ante victoriam ne canas triumphumone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Lithuanian viščiukus skaičiuoja vakarais
- viščiukus skaičiuoja vakaraisone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Māori kāti te toitoi okewa, ahakoa iti te koutu whenua e kore e taea te parepare
- kāti te toitoi okewaone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- ahakoa iti te koutu whenua e kore e taea te parepareone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Norwegian Bokmål selge skinnet før bjørnen er skutt
- selge skinnet før bjørnen er skuttone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Persian جوجه رو آخر پاییز می شمارند
- جوجه رو آخر پاییز می شمارندone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Polish nie dziel skóry na niedźwiedziu, nie chwal dnia przed zachodem słońca
- nie dziel skóry na niedźwiedziuone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- nie chwal dnia przed zachodem słońcaone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- nie mów hop, póki nie przeskoczyszone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Portuguese não conte com o ovo dentro da galinha, não conte com o ovo antes da galinha botar
- não conte com o ovo dentro da galinhaone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- não conte com o ovo antes da galinha botarone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- contar com o ovo no cu da galinhaone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Romanian toamna se numără bobocii, nu vinde blana ursului din pădure
- toamna se numără bobociione should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- nu vinde blana ursului din pădureone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- nu zice hop până nu ai săritone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Russian цыпля́т по о́сени счита́ют, не дели́ шку́ру неуби́того медве́дя
- цыпля́т по о́сени счита́ют (cyplját po óseni sčitájut)one should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- не дели́ шку́ру неуби́того медве́дя (ne delí škúru neubítovo medvédja)one should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- не говори́ «гоп», пока́ не перепры́гнешь (poká ne pereprýgnešʹ)one should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Scottish Gaelic na h-abair diug a choidhche ris an eun gus an dig e às an ugh, dèan fanaid air do sheann-bhrògan nuair a gheibh thu do bhrògan ùra
- na h-abair diug a choidhche ris an eun gus an dig e às an ughone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- dèan fanaid air do sheann-bhrògan nuair a gheibh thu do bhrògan ùraone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- mol an latha math mu oidhcheone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- mol an deireadhone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Spanish no vendas la piel del oso antes de cazarlo, hasta el rabo, todo es toro
- no vendas la piel del oso antes de cazarloone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- hasta el rabo, todo es toroone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- no echar las campanas al vueloone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- no cantes victoriaone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Swedish sälj inte skinnet innan björnen är skjuten, ta inte ut segern i förskott
- sälj inte skinnet innan björnen är skjutenone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- ta inte ut segern i förskottone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Thai สงครามยังไม่จบ อย่าเพิ่งนับศพทหาร
- สงครามยังไม่จบ อย่าเพิ่งนับศพทหารone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Turkish dereyi görmeden paçaları sıvamak
- dereyi görmeden paçaları sıvamakone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Ukrainian не хвали́ день до ве́чора, хвали́ день уве́чері, а життя́ пе́ред сме́ртю
- не хвали́ день до ве́чора (ne xvalý denʹ do véčora)one should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- хвали́ день уве́чері, а життя́ пе́ред сме́ртю (xvalý denʹ uvéčeri, a žyttjá péred smértju)one should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- не кажи гоп, поки не перескочиш (ne kažy hop, poky ne pereskočyš)one should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
- не лізь поперед батька в пекло (ne lizʹ popered batʹka v peklo)one should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Vietnamese đếm cua trong lỗ
- đếm cua trong lỗone should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Yiddish פֿון דעם בער אין וואַלד זאָל מען די פֿעל נישט פֿאַרקויפֿן
- פֿון דעם בער אין וואַלד זאָל מען די פֿעל נישט פֿאַרקויפֿן (fun dem ber in vald zol men di fel nisht farkóyfn)one should not depend upon a favorable outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur
Cite this entry
APA
don't count your chickens before they're hatched. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/don't%20count%20your%20chickens%20before%20they're%20hatched
MLA
“don't count your chickens before they're hatched.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/don't%20count%20your%20chickens%20before%20they're%20hatched. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “don't count your chickens before they're hatched,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/don't%20count%20your%20chickens%20before%20they're%20hatched.
Source: don't count your chickens before they're hatched on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.