English idiom

chicken-and-egg problem

Register · Neutral CEFR C1

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Figurative meaning

a situation in which two things each depend on the other, so neither can get started

Why this phrase?

From the ancient riddle 'which came first, the chicken or the egg?' — classic in marketplaces, platforms, and network businesses.

Example

“The marketplace has a chicken-and-egg problem: we need riders to attract drivers and drivers to attract riders.”

Dictionary details

Alternate forms

chicken or egg problem

Component words

chicken egg

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

egg on your face

to be embarrassed after being publicly wrong

nest egg

a sum of money saved for retirement or the future

walk on eggshells

to act very carefully to avoid upsetting someone

kill the goose that lays the golden eggs

to destroy a reliable source of future profit through greed or short-term thinking

brain power

intelligence or mental ability used to think and solve problems

seed money

the initial capital used to start a business

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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