Phrase guide

kill the goose that lays the golden eggs

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To seek short-term gain at the sacrifice of long-term profit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: take the short view

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From the Aesop's fable The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs, in which a married couple own a goose that lays one golden egg every day. Because of greed, they decide to kill the goose to obtain all the gold they suppose to be present in its body. Once opened, the goose proves to be like any normal goose inside.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 殺雞取卵 /杀鸡取卵 (shājīqǔluǎn) — to seek short term gain at the sacrifice of long term profit — see also golden goose
  • Chinese Mandarin: 竭澤而漁 /竭泽而渔 (jiézé'éryú) — to seek short term gain at the sacrifice of long term profit — see also golden goose
  • Dutch: de kip met de gouden eieren slachten — to seek short term gain at the sacrifice of long term profit — see also golden goose
  • Finnish: tappaa kultamunia muniva kana — to seek short term gain at the sacrifice of long term profit — see also golden goose
  • French: tuer la poule aux œufs d'or — to seek short term gain at the sacrifice of long term profit — see also golden goose
  • Italian: uccidere la gallina dalle uova d'oro — to seek short term gain at the sacrifice of long term profit — see also golden goose
  • Polish: zabić kurę znoszącą złote jajka — to seek short term gain at the sacrifice of long term profit — see also golden goose
  • Russian: заре́зать ку́рицу, несу́щую золоты́е я́йца (zarézatʹ kúricu, nesúščuju zolotýje jájca) — to seek short term gain at the sacrifice of long term profit — see also golden goose
  • Spanish: matar a la gallina de los huevos de oro — to seek short term gain at the sacrifice of long term profit — see also golden goose