Meanings
alternative once burned, twice cautious · alternative once burned, twice shy · alternative once hurt, twice shy
- One is cautious if one has been hurt in the past.
1 more example
As for missed catches, it is weary work for a bowler to lie in wait for a batsman's weak stroke for half an hour, to succeed in getting him into a carefully planned trap, and then to see the catch—such a baby one—muffed ridiculously, and have all his trouble over again. Besides, once bitten, twice shy. The bowler has shown his hand, and the batsman is now on the look-out.
1897, K.S. Ranjitsinhji, The Jubilee Book of Cricket, Chapter 2Synonyms: a burnt child dreads the fire, the burnt child dreads the fire, a beaten dog may cower before a friendly hand
Synonyms & antonyms
proverbOne is cautious if one has been hurt in the past.
Translations
Bengali ঘর পোড়া গরু সিঁদুরে মেঘ দেখে ডরায়
- ঘর পোড়া গরু সিঁদুরে মেঘ দেখে ডরায় (ghor pōṛa goru śĩdure megh dekhe ḍoraẏ)one is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
Chinese Mandarin 一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井繩 /一朝被蛇咬, 十年怕井绳
- 一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井繩 /一朝被蛇咬one is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
- 十年怕井绳 (yī zhāo bèi shé yǎo, shí nián pà jǐng shéng)one is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
Danish brændt barn skyr ilden
- brændt barn skyr ildenone is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
Dutch door schade en schande wordt men wijs, een ezel stoot zich geen tweemaal aan dezelfde steen
- door schade en schande wordt men wijsone is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
- een ezel stoot zich geen tweemaal aan dezelfde steenone is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
- een gewaarschuwd mens telt voor tweeone is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
Finnish Siperia opettaa
- Siperia opettaaone is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
French chat échaudé craint l'eau froide
- chat échaudé craint l'eau froideone is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
German ein gebranntes Kind scheut das Feuer
- ein gebranntes Kind scheut das Feuerone is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
Greek όποιος καεί με τον χυλό, φυσάει και το γιαούρτι
- όποιος καεί με τον χυλό, φυσάει και το γιαούρτι (ópoios kaeí me ton chyló, fysáei kai to giaoúrti)one is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
Hebrew מִי שֶׁנִכְוָה בְּרוֹתְחִין נִזְהָר בְּצוֹנְנִין
- מִי שֶׁנִכְוָה בְּרוֹתְחִין נִזְהָר בְּצוֹנְנִין (mi shenikhvá berotkhín niz'hár betzonenín)one is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
Hindi दूध का जला छाछ भी फूँक फूँक कर पीता है
- दूध का जला छाछ भी फूँक फूँक कर पीता है (dūdh kā jalā chāch bhī phū̃k phū̃k kar pītā hai)one is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
Hungarian akit a kígyó megmart, a gyíktól is fél
- akit a kígyó megmart, a gyíktól is félone is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
Icelandic brennt barn forðast eldinn
- brennt barn forðast eldinnone is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
Italian gatto scottato teme l'acqua fredda
- gatto scottato teme l'acqua freddaone is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
Japanese 羮に懲りて膾を吹く
- 羮に懲りて膾を吹く (atsumono ni korite namasu o fuku)one is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
Norwegian Bokmål brent barn skyr ilden
- brent barn skyr ildenone is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
Polish kto się na gorącym sparzył, ten na zimne dmucha
- kto się na gorącym sparzył, ten na zimne dmuchaone is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
Portuguese gato escaldado de água fria tem medo
- gato escaldado de água fria tem medoone is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
Romanian cine s-a fript cu ciorbă, suflă și-n iaurt
- cine s-a fript cu ciorbă, suflă și-n iaurtone is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
Spanish gato escaldado del agua fría huye
- gato escaldado del agua fría huyeone is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
Turkish sütten ağzı yanan, yoğurdu üfleyerek yer
- sütten ağzı yanan, yoğurdu üfleyerek yerone is cautious in the future if hurt in the past — see also a burnt child dreads the fire
Cite this entry
once bitten, twice shy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/once%20bitten%2C%20twice%20shy
“once bitten, twice shy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/once%20bitten%2C%20twice%20shy. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “once bitten, twice shy,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/once%20bitten%2C%20twice%20shy.
Source: once bitten, twice shy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.