Upper Intermediate Work & Effort Proverb

За двумя зайцами погонишься — ни одного не поймаешь

Za dvumya zaytsami pogoneshsya — ni odnogo ne poymaesh

Literal translation

"If you chase two hares, you will catch neither"

English equivalent

"If you try to do two things at once, you will fail at both."

What does it mean?

If you run after two hares, you will catch neither

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When to use

Не пытайся работать и учиться одновременно, за двумя зайцами погонишься — ни одного не поймаешь.

Example in use

Russian

Don't try to work and study simultaneously; you'll catch neither hare.

Translation

Use this to warn someone against multitasking or greed.

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Origin

Hunting

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Full history & cultural context

A classic hunter's advice: you must focus on one target to have a chance of success. In modern life, it is a key warning against loss of focus.

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