strike while the iron is hot

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

Striking red-hot iron

strike while the iron is hot (third-person singular simple present strikes while the iron is hot, present participle striking while the iron is hot, simple past and past participle struck while the iron is hot)

1. (metallurgy, blacksmithing, literally) To strike a hot piece of metal, especially iron, with a mallet or other tool before it cools, while it is still hot enough to be shaped.
2. (idiomatic) To act on an opportunity promptly while favorable conditions exist; to avoid waiting.

   We should strike while the iron is hot and order some immediately, before they change the offer.

   • c. 1620s, Elizabeth Cary [misattributed to Henry Cary], The History Of the most unfortunate Prince King Edward II. […] , London: A.G. and F. P., published 1680, page 41:

     The Gap thus stopp'd, with her Army she marcheth to the Cage that kept those Birds, whose Wings she would be clipping. She knew if she struck not while the Iron was hot, the heat of a popular Faction would quickly sink and lessen.

Usage notes

• When expressed in the imperative mood, this term is a well-known saying or proverb:

  Strike while the iron is hot!

Synonyms

• make hay while the sun shines
• take time by the forelock

Translations

act on an opportunity promptly

• Azerbaijani: dəmiri qızğınkən döyərlər, dəmir isti-isti döyülər
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 趁熱打鐵／趁热打铁 (can³ jit⁶ daa² tit³), 打鐵趁熱／打铁趁热 (daa² tit³ can³ jit⁶)

  Hokkien: 魚趁生，人趁茈／鱼趁生，人趁茈 (hî-thàn-chhiⁿ, lâng-thàn-chíⁿ)

  Mandarin: 趁熱打鐵／趁热打铁 (zh) (chènrè-dǎtiě), 打鐵趁熱／打铁趁热 (zh) (dǎtiě-chènrè)

• Czech: kout železo, dokud je žhavé, kuj železo, dokud je žhavé (cs)
• Danish: smede mens jernet er varmt
• Dutch: het ijzer smeden als het heet is
• Finnish: takoa kun rauta on kuumaa (fi)
• French: il faut battre le fer pendant qu’il est chaud (fr)
• Georgian: დაჰკარ, სანამ რკინა ცხელია (dahḳar, sanam rḳina cxelia)
• German: man muss das Eisen schmieden, solange es heiß ist (de)
• Greek: στη βράση κολλάει το σίδερο (sti vrási kolláei to sídero)
• Hebrew: להכות בברזל בעודו חם
• Hindi: लोहा गरम हैं. मार दो हथौड़ा. (lohā garam ha͠i. mār do hathauṛā.)
• Hungarian: addig üsd a vasat, amíg meleg (hu)
• Irish: buail an t-iarann te
• Italian: battere il ferro finché è caldo
• Japanese: 善は急げ (ja) (ぜんはいそげ, zen wa isoge), 膳は急げ (ぜんはいそげ, zen wa isoge), 鉄は熱いうちに打て (てつはあついうちにうて, tetsu wa atsui uchi ni ute)
• Korean: 쇠뿔도 단김에 빼랬다 (ko) (soeppuldo dan'gime ppaeraetda)
• Lingala: otútá ebendé ntángo ezalí na mɔ̌tɔ
• Lithuanian: kalti geležį, kol ji karšta
• Macedonian: железото се кове додека е жешко (železoto se kove dodeka e žeško)
• Maltese: il-ftira sħuna tajba
• Norwegian: smi mens jernet er varmt (no)
• Polish: kuj żelazo póki gorące, kuć żelazo, póki gorące (pl)
• Portuguese: malhar enquanto o ferro está quente
• Romanian: bate fierul cât e cald
• Russian: куй желе́зо, пока́ горячо́ (kuj želézo, poká gorjačó)
• Serbo-Croatian: željezo se kuje dok je vruće
• Spanish: al hierro caliente batir de repente, batir el hierro cuando está al rojo
• Swedish: smida medan järnet är varmt (sv)
• Thai: ตีเหล็กเมื่อแดง กินแกงเมื่อร้อน (dtii-lèk-mʉ̂ʉa-dɛɛng-gin-gɛɛng-mʉ̂ʉa-rɔ́ɔn)
• Turkish: demir tavında dövülür
• Walloon: bate li fier tant k' il est tchôd, ploumer l’ ålouwete cwand on l’ tént (wa)

See also

• grasp the nettle
• time and tide wait for no man

References

• Gregory Y. Titelman, Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings, 1996, →ISBN, p. 309.