ein Stein fällt auf den Kopf

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German

Etymology

Literally: “a stone falls on one’s head”.

Phrase

ein Stein fällt auf den Kopf

  1. Used other than as an idiom, see the individual lemmas.
    Unter einer Steilwand kann dir ein Stein auf den Kopf fallen.
    Under a cliff, a stone may hit you in the head.
  2. (idiomatic) Used to refer to the residual risk that is part of life, or a fate one cannot avoid.
    Auf diesen langen Autofahrten kann dir doch so leicht was passieren! — Ja, aber es kann mir auch morgen ein Stein auf den Kopf fallen. Soll ich deshalb aufhören zu leben?
    Something could easily happen to you during these long car drives! — Yes, but a stone could as well hit me in the head tomorrow. Should that make me stop living?

Synonyms