From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
1800s usage, probably from the imagery that eggshells are easily broken when stepped upon.
walk on eggshells (third-person singular simple present walks on eggshells , present participle walking on eggshells , simple past and past participle walked on eggshells )
( idiomatic ) To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something.
( idiomatic ) To be careful and sensitive , in handling very sensitive matters.
to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
Arabic: please add this translation if you can
Armenian: վարվել շրջահայաց կերպով ( varvel šrǰahayacʻ kerpov ) , գործել մեծագույն զգուշությամբ ( gorcel mecaguyn zgušutʻyamb )
Bulgarian: действам внимателно ( dejstvam vnimatelno )
Catalan: anar amb peus de plom
Chinese:
Mandarin: 伴君如伴虎 ( bàn jūn rú bàn hǔ ) ( for superiors only ) , 謹慎 行事 , 谨慎 行事 (jǐnshèn xíngshì)
Czech: please add this translation if you can
Danish: gå på æggeskaller
Dutch: op eieren lopen
Finnish: pitää kuin kukkaa kämmenellä
French: marcher sur des œufs (fr) , prendre des pincettes
Galician: ir cos pés de la
German: einen Eiertanz vollführen ( idiom )
Hebrew: ללכת על ביצים
Hindi: please add this translation if you can
Italian: camminare sulle uova , andare coi piedi di piombo
Japanese: please add this translation if you can
Korean: please add this translation if you can
Polish: obchodzić się jak z jajkiem (pl)
Portuguese: pisar em ovos (pt) ( Brazil )
Russian: ходи́ть на цы́почках (ru) ( xodítʹ na cýpočkax ) , ходи́ть на цы́рлах ( xodítʹ na cýrlax ) , ходи́ть по яи́чной скорлупе́ ( xodítʹ po jaíčnoj skorlupé ) , ходи́ть по я́йцам ( xodítʹ po jájcam )
Serbo-Croatian: ходати по јајима
Ukrainian: носитися, як курка з яйцем ( nosytysja, jak kurka z jajcem ) , бігати, як курка з яйцем ( bihaty, jak kurka z jajcem )
Vietnamese: please add this translation if you can
to handle sensitive matters delicately