Contents
- 1 English
- 1.1 Etymology
- 1.2 Pronunciation
- 1.3 Verb
- 1.3.1 Translations
- 1.4 See also
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
1800s usage, probably from the imagery that eggshells are easily broken when stepped upon.
Pronunciation[edit]
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌwɔːk ɒn ˈɛɡʃɛlz/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˌwɔk ɑn ˈɛɡʃɛlz/, /ˌwɑk-/, /-ɔn-/
Audio (AU) (file)
Verb[edit]
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.
Translations[edit]
to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
- Arabic: please add this translation if you can
- Armenian: վարվել շրջահայաց կերպով (varvel šrǰahayacʿ kerpov), գործել մեծագույն զգուշությամբ (gorcel mecaguyn zgušutʿyamb)
- Bulgarian: действам внимателно (dejstvam vnimatelno)
- Catalan: anar amb peus de plom
- Chinese:
- 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
- Arabic: please add this translation if you can
- Armenian: լինել նուրբ նկատառում պահանջող դրության մեջ (linel nurb nkataṙum pahanǰoġ drutʿyan meǰ)
- Catalan: anar amb peus de plom
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 如履薄冰 (rú lǚ bó bīng)
- Czech: please add this translation if you can
- Dutch: op eieren lopen
- Finnish: käsitellä silkkihansikkain
- French: prendre des pincettes, prendre des gants(fr), mettre des gants(fr)
- German: wie ein rohes Ei behandeln (idiom)
- Hindi: please add this translation if you can
- Italian: please add this translation if you can
- 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 по я́йцам (xodítʹ po jájcam)
- Serbo-Croatian: ходати по јајима
- Vietnamese: please add this translation if you can
See also[edit]
- (walking) on thin ice
- puss*foot
- tread lightly
As an expert in linguistics and language studies, I have a profound understanding of various linguistic concepts, etymology, pronunciation, and translations across different languages. I've extensively delved into the structure, evolution, and usage of languages, allowing me to provide insights into the multifaceted nature of linguistic elements.
Regarding the article you've provided, it primarily discusses the idiomatic expression "walk on eggshells," offering an in-depth analysis of its etymology, pronunciation, verb usage, and translations into multiple languages.
-
English:
- Etymology: The phrase's origin dates back to the 1800s, likely derived from the imagery of eggshells being easily broken when stepped upon.
- Pronunciation: The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) representations for Received Pronunciation (RP) and General American (GA) pronunciations are provided.
- Verb Usage: Defined as being excessively careful or sensitive in dealing with a person or situation to avoid causing offense or upset.
- Translations: Offers translations of the idiomatic expression into various languages, showcasing the nuanced ways different cultures express the idea of extreme caution.
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Concepts Covered:
- Etymology: The study of the phrase's origin and historical development.
- Pronunciation: The phonetic representation and articulation of the expression in RP and GA.
- Verb Usage: Explaining the meaning and usage of the idiomatic phrase in different contexts.
- Translations: Providing linguistic equivalence and variations of the expression across diverse languages and cultures.
This article from Wiktionary offers an extensive exploration of the idiomatic expression "walk on eggshells," emphasizing its usage and cross-linguistic variations. Additionally, the article suggests related idioms such as "walking on thin ice," "puss*footing," and "treading lightly," which share similar connotations of caution and sensitivity in various situations.
