意思
To avoid talking about good fortune to keep it.
文化背景
Knocking on 'unpainted wood' (niemalowane drewno) is the essential physical ritual. If you knock on a painted table, it doesn't count! The fear of the 'Evil Eye' (złe oko) is why many Polish parents used to tie a red ribbon to a baby's crib or stroller—to distract the eye and prevent 'zapeszenie'. In Polish startups, 'nie zapeszyć' is often used when discussing funding rounds or big client acquisitions to manage team expectations. Polish sports commentators are often accused of 'zapeszanie' if they praise a player right before they make a mistake.
The 'Odpukać' Combo
For maximum native-level fluency, always say 'nie chcę zapeszyć' and then immediately look for something wooden to knock on. It shows you understand the culture, not just the words.
Don't use for bad luck
Remember, you can't 'zapeszyć' a disaster. If you say 'I'm going to fail,' and you do, that's not a jinx in Polish terminology.
意思
To avoid talking about good fortune to keep it.
The 'Odpukać' Combo
For maximum native-level fluency, always say 'nie chcę zapeszyć' and then immediately look for something wooden to knock on. It shows you understand the culture, not just the words.
Don't use for bad luck
Remember, you can't 'zapeszyć' a disaster. If you say 'I'm going to fail,' and you do, that's not a jinx in Polish terminology.
Humility is key
Even if you don't believe in luck, using this phrase makes you sound more humble and less like you are bragging, which is highly valued in Polish social circles.
自我测试
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'zapeszyć'.
Mam nadzieję, że jutro nie będzie padać, ale nie chcę ________.
The infinitive 'zapeszyć' is used after 'nie chcę'.
Which response is most natural for a Polish speaker?
Friend: 'Twoja nowa firma zarabia mnóstwo pieniędzy, prawda?'
It's natural to warn someone not to jinx a new business success.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: You are 90% sure you passed an exam but haven't seen the results.
This uses the phrase correctly to protect a likely positive outcome.
🎉 得分： /3
视觉学习工具
练习题库
3 练习Mam nadzieję, że jutro nie będzie padać, ale nie chcę ________.
The infinitive 'zapeszyć' is used after 'nie chcę'.
Friend: 'Twoja nowa firma zarabia mnóstwo pieniędzy, prawda?'
It's natural to warn someone not to jinx a new business success.
Situation: You are 90% sure you passed an exam but haven't seen the results.
This uses the phrase correctly to protect a likely positive outcome.
🎉 得分： /3
常见问题
5 个问题No, it is a secular superstition rooted in pagan folklore, though many religious people use it as a common idiom.
Yes, but keep it to more casual internal emails. In a formal contract or official report, it might be too informal.
'Zapeszyć' is perfective (the act of jinxing), while 'zapeszać' is imperfective (the ongoing process or habit of jinxing).
Absolutely. It's one of the most resilient idioms in the Polish language.
Poles often knock on their own head and say 'w niemalowane' (on unpainted wood) as a joke.
相关表达
odpukać w niemalowane
similarTo knock on wood
wywoływać wilka z lasu
contrastTo talk about something bad and make it happen
trzymać kciuki
builds onTo keep one's fingers crossed (literally: hold thumbs)
uroczny
specialized formCharming (but originally: related to casting a spell)
