baɪt ɔf mɔr ðæn juː kæn tʃuː
Food & Cooking
informal
beginner
- Literally:
- Taking a bite of food that is too large to chew
What does "bite off more than you can chew" mean?
- To take on more responsibility or work than one can handle
- To attempt something too ambitious for one's abilities
Examples
- I bit off more than I could chew when I signed up for five courses.
- Don't bite off more than you can chew—start with smaller projects.
- The company bit off more than it could chew with that acquisition.
Origin
American origin from the 19th century, possibly related to chewing tobacco. Taking too large a bite makes chewing difficult or impossible, just as taking on too much makes completion impossible.
How to use it
Very common expression for overcommitment. Can be used as warning or as acknowledgment of past mistakes.
Similar expressions
overreach
overcommit
take on too much
Opposites
know your limits
stay within your capacity
Related idioms
- piece of cake
Something very easy to do
- a piece of cake
Something very easy to do
- in a nutshell
In a very brief or concise form
- an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Eating fruit or having a healthy diet helps maintain good health
- don't put all your eggs in one basket
Don't risk everything on a single opportunity
- not your cup of tea
Not something you enjoy or are interested in
Use it in a practice answer
Try "bite off more than you can chew" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.