what happens twice happens thrice

phrase

An event that happens two times will happen three times.

OriginJapanese 二度ある事は三度ある →
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Meanings

phrase
  1. idiomaticAn event that happens two times will happen three times.

Origin

  1. Japanese二度ある事は三度ある
  2. Englishwhat happens twice happens thrice

Calque of Japanese 二度ある事は三度ある (“A thing that happens two times will happen three times”)

More words from Japanese

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

what happens twice happens thrice. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/what%20happens%20twice%20happens%20thrice

MLA

“what happens twice happens thrice.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/what%20happens%20twice%20happens%20thrice. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “what happens twice happens thrice,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/what%20happens%20twice%20happens%20thrice.

Source: what happens twice happens thrice on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.