English [ edit ]
Etymology [ edit ]
This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium . Particularly: “When was it first used? It's common in many languages, did it originate in English or was it calqued into English from another language?”
Pronunciation [ edit ]
strike while the iron is hot (third-person singular simple present strikes while the iron is hot , present participle striking while the iron is hot , simple past and past participle struck while the iron is hot )
( metallurgy , blacksmithing , literally ) To strike a hot piece of metal , especially iron , with a mallet or other tool before it cools , while it is still hot enough to be shaped .
( idiomatic ) To act on an opportunity promptly while favorable conditions exist; to avoid waiting .
We should strike while the iron is hot and order some immediately, before they change the offer.
Usage notes [ edit ]
When expressed in the imperative mood, this term is a well-known saying or proverb:
Strike while the iron is hot !
Synonyms [ edit ]
Translations [ edit ]
act on an opportunity promptly
Azerbaijani: dəmiri qızğınkən döyərlər , dəmir isti-isti döyülər
Chinese:
Cantonese: 趁熱打鐵 , 趁热打铁 ( can3 jit6 daa2 tit3 ) , 打鐵趁熱 , 打铁趁热 ( daa2 tit3 can3 jit6 )
Mandarin: 趁熱打鐵 (zh) , 趁热打铁 (zh) ( chènrè-dǎtiě ) , 打鐵趁熱 (zh) , 打铁趁热 (zh) ( dǎtiě-chènrè )
Min Nan: 魚趁生,人趁茈 , 鱼趁生,人趁茈 ( hî-thàn-chhiⁿ, lâng-thàn-chíⁿ )
Czech: kout železo, dokud je žhavé , kuj železo, dokud je žhavé (cs)
Danish: smede mens jernet er varmt
Dutch: het ijzer smeden als het heet is
Finnish: takoa kun rauta on kuumaa (fi)
French: il faut battre le fer pendant qu’il est chaud (fr)
Georgian: დაჰკარ, სანამ რკინა ცხელია ( dahḳar, sanam rḳina cxelia )
German: man muss das Eisen schmieden, solange es heiß ist (de)
Greek: στη βράση κολλάει το σίδερο ( sti vrási kolláei to sídero )
Hebrew: להכות בברזל בעודו חם
Hindi: लोहा गरम हैं. मार दो हथौड़ा. ( lohā garam ha͠i. mār do hathauṛā. )
Hungarian: addig üsd a vasat, amíg meleg (hu)
Irish: buail an t-iarann te
Italian: battere il ferro finché è caldo
Japanese: 善は急げ (ja) ( ぜんはいそげ, zen wa isoge ) , 膳は急げ ( ぜんはいそげ, zen wa isoge ) , 鉄は熱いうちに打て ( てつはあついうちにうて, tetsu wa atsui uchi ni ute )
Korean: 쇠뿔도 단김에 빼랬다 (ko) ( soeppuldo dan'gime ppaeraetda )
Lingala: otútá ebendé ntángo ezalí na mɔ̌tɔ
Lithuanian: kalti geležį, kol ji karšta
Macedonian: железото се кове додека е жешко ( železoto se kove dodeka e žeško )
Maltese: il-ftira sħuna tajba
Norwegian: smi mens jernet er varmt (no)
Polish: kuj żelazo póki gorące , kuć żelazo, póki gorące (pl)
Portuguese: malhar enquanto o ferro está quente
Romanian: bate fierul cât e cald
Russian: куй желе́зо, пока́ горячо́ ( kuj želézo, poká gorjačó )
Serbo-Croatian: željezo se kuje dok je vruće
Spanish: batir el hierro cuando está al rojo
Swedish: smida medan järnet är varmt (sv)
Thai: ตีเหล็กเมื่อแดง กินแกงเมื่อร้อน ( tii lèk mêua daeng, kin kaeng mêua rón )
Turkish: demir tavında dövülür
Walloon: bate li fier tant k' il est tchôd , ploumer l’ ålouwete cwand on l’ tént (wa)
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Gregory Y. Titelman, Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings , 1996, →ISBN , p. 309.