Once bitten, twice shy The expression “once bitten, twice shy” means that if someone has a bad or painful experience, they become more cautious and hesitant the next time they face a similar situation. 👉 Example: She trusted her business partner once, but he betrayed her. Now she doesn’t trust easily once bitten, twice shy. In Spanish, it would be something like: “Gato escaldado, del agua fría huye.” 🐱💧