"Chicken flies away and eggs are broken" literally means the chicken has flown away and the eggs are broken, a metaphor for falling between two stools and gaining nothing. This idiom originates from Cao Xueqin's Dream of the Red Chamber in the Qing Dynasty, where it is used to describe certain people whose schemes backfire and who end up losing even more. Its deeper meaning emphasizes that greed or poor planning leads to the loss of all the benefits one originally intended to preserve or obtain. It is often used to describe situations in speculation, gambling, business investment, or romantic entanglements where one suffers a double loss. Its usage is mostly derogatory or regretful, carrying a tone of irony and warning. In terms of cultural background, chickens and eggs in Chinese tradition symbolize small but tangible property, and "chicken flies away and eggs are broken" vividly embodies the folk wisdom of "trying to steal a chicken only to end up losing the bait." In emotional color, it expresses a sense of helplessness, chagrin, and mockery, reminding people not to covet unrealistic gains, or they may not even be able to keep their original capital.
📝 Example
1. He had hoped to make a quick profit by short-term trading, but the stock market crashed, and he ended up losing everything—like a hen that flew away and eggs that broke—losing more than half of his principal. (A metaphor for falling between two stools and gaining nothing.)
2. She abandoned her boyfriend to curry favor with the powerful, but in the end, she was toyed with emotionally and ended up losing everything—like a hen that flew away and eggs that broke. (A metaphor for attempting to take advantage but losing everything one originally had.)