Example: Je moet niet altijd de koe in de kont kijken voordat je helpt.
Definition
"De koe in de kont kijken" is a Dutch expression meaning to look too closely or scrutinize something unnecessarily before taking action or making a decision. It suggests that one should not overanalyze or hesitate but act more straightforwardly.
Translations
to look back afterwards
ver las cosas después
veure-ho després
juger après coup
hinterher klüger sein
guardare la mucca nel posteriore
ser muito curioso
Etymology
The phrase "de koe in de kont kijken" literally translates to "looking into the cow's rear." It originates from traditional farming practices, where checking the cow's rear was a humorous way to imply unnecessary or overly detailed inspection. Did you know? The saying cautions against overthinking simple matters.
Learn to use this expression actively
"De koe in de kont kijken" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C2) - set 1", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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to look back afterwards