Meaning
Destroy a source of long-term benefit for short-term gain.
Primary Function
Short-sighted greed.
Communicative Purpose
To warn against ruining a valuable asset.
Pattern
kill the goose that lays the golden eggs
Core Structure
kill the goose that lays the golden eggs
Função primária
Short-sighted greed.
Propósito comunicativo
To warn against ruining a valuable asset.
Situações de gatilho
Over-exploitation, quick profit.
Contextos
Business, environment.
Padrão
kill the goose that lays the golden eggs
Estrutura central
kill the goose that lays the golden eggs
Slots de substituição
none
Colocados típicos
- don’t
- you’ll end up
- risk
Substituições comuns
- bite the hand that feeds you (different)
Erros comuns
*kill the chicken that lays golden eggs* (wrong bird)
Similar / contraste
saw off the branch you’re sitting on
Interferências
Not farming.
Família do chunk
- Greed/folly idioms
Nuance
Cautionary, fable-like.
Efeito pragmático
Advocates sustainability.
Dica de memória
Person slaughtering goose, no more gold.
Nota
This idiom originates from a fable by Aesop, where a man kills a goose that lays golden eggs to get all the gold at once, only to find there is no more gold.
Upgrade path
sacrifice long-term viability for immediate returns (formal)
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