所以，在英语中我们常常用“count one's chickens before they are hatched”来形容早早抱有乐观态度的人。有时省略“before they are hatched”，直接说“count one's chickens”。例如：Carol is one of the guys who always count their chickens. She has not got the pay yet, but already bought the expensive dress. (译文：Carol是那种过早乐观的人。她都还没拿到薪水就已经买了那件昂贵的裙子了。)
这个词组有时以否定形式“don't count one's chickens before they are hatched”出现，用于告诫他人不要过早乐观。例如：You never know what would happen until the last minute, so don't count your chickens before they are hatched.(不到最后一刻你都不知道会发生什么事，所以别过早乐观了。