English · Proverb Attested

measure twice and cut once

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Also seen as: measure twice, cut once

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

One should double-check one's measurements for accuracy before cutting a piece of wood; otherwise it may be necessary to cut again, wasting time and material.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Nên kiểm tra kỹ trước khi thực hiện.

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Look at Carpenters! . . . In old times it was a proverb "Measure twice, and cut once."

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Plan and prepare in a careful, thorough manner before taking action.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Nên lên kế hoạch và chuẩn bị kỹ trước khi hành động.

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “measure twice and cut once” mean?

One should double-check one's measurements for accuracy before cutting a piece of wood; otherwise it may be necessary to cut again, wasting time and material.

Is “measure twice and cut once” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.