A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Meaning:

You use this proverb to say it is better to accept something that you have or you can use now than to try to get something better that you might not be able to obtain. Sometimes people just say, "A bird in the hand."

If someone says, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," he/she means that it is better to be satisfied with something you have than to risk losing it by trying to get something better you may not succeed in getting.

Example:

If I were you, I'd accept the job. It might not be the best job for you, but a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Picture:

This picture was drawn by Erika Aoyama on November 16, 2002

Back to Idioms Main Page

Last modified on December 2, 2002