Example: Man sollte nicht die Katze im Sack kaufen, sondern erst prüfen.
Definition
"Die Katze im Sack kaufen" is a German idiom meaning to buy or commit to something without inspecting it first, implying a risk of being deceived or obtaining something unsatisfactory. It advises caution by suggesting one should check carefully before deciding.
Translations
buy a pig in a poke
comprar a ciegas
een kat in de zak kopen
comprar a cegues
acheter chat en poche
Etymology
The phrase "die Katze im Sack kaufen" literally translates to "buying the cat in the sack." It originates from old market practices where unscrupulous sellers would sell a sack claiming it contained a valuable piglet, but it actually held a cat. This trick led to the warning embedded in the phrase: never buy something unseen.
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"Die Katze im Sack kaufen" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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buy a pig in a poke