Japanese phrase
石橋をたたいて渡りましょう。 ishi bashi o ta ta i te wata ri ma shō
Meaning
Let's play it safe.
When to use it
Urges careful progress after checking for risks. It gently warns against rushing into a decision and encourages confirming important details first.
Example dialogue
この契約、今日決めますか？ ko no kei yaku kyō ki me ma su ka
Should we decide on this contract today?
石橋をたたいて渡りましょう。まず条件を確認しましょう。 ishi bashi o ta ta i te wata ri ma shō ma zu jō ken o kaku nin shi ma shō
Let's play it safe. Let's check the terms first.