# Fortune Cookie Interpretation?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fortune-cookie-interpretation/573777>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 7, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fortune-cookie-interpretation/573777 "2011-03-07T14:20:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fortune-cookie-interpretation/573777/1 "2011-03-07T14:20:28Z")

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After a wonderful sushi meal last night, I read my fortune. Totally WTF.

> [@](#):
>
> Never set the tiger free if you live in the mountain.

My gf’s interpretation is: “Don’t shit where you eat”.

I know nothing about tiger biology, nor mountain living. I also wonder about "live **in** the mountain.

😕

(as an aside, the restaurant has the most amazing sushi special. A [boat for two, including soup and salad, all for $55!!!](http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv174/kayaker01/boat.jpg))

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**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2011, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fortune-cookie-interpretation/573777/2 "2011-03-07T14:46:56Z")

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I took it to mean something to the effect of “Think twice before showing mercy; it can come back to bite you on the ass.”

A somewhat odd message though.

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fortune-cookie-interpretation/573777/3 "2011-03-07T15:04:44Z")

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^But I thought tigers lived in forests? Why the mountain reference?

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**Author:** ![Heckity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Heckity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heckity)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2011, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fortune-cookie-interpretation/573777/4 "2011-03-07T15:19:55Z")

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Apparently it’s a Chinese Proverb

[http://www.kgbanswers.com/what-does-the-chinese-proverb-never-set-the-tiger-free-if-you-live-in-the-mountain-mean/4774303](http://www.kgbanswers.com/what-does-the-chinese-proverb-never-set-the-tiger-free-if-you-live-in-the-mountain-mean/4774303)

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**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2011, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fortune-cookie-interpretation/573777/5 "2011-03-07T17:01:20Z")

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I think it is a warning to not make things worse for yourself. Kind of like saying don’t stick your foot in your mouth.

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**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fortune-cookie-interpretation/573777/6 "2011-03-07T17:15:24Z")

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Since when do sushi restaurants have fortune cookies?

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fortune-cookie-interpretation/573777/7 "2011-03-07T17:50:24Z")

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> [@tdn](#):
>
> Since when do sushi restaurants have fortune cookies?

Well, it is a Chinese restaurant with a sushi bar. Pretty common around here.

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**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fortune-cookie-interpretation/573777/8 "2011-03-07T17:58:23Z")

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> [@kayaker](#):
>
> Well, it is a Chinese restaurant with a sushi bar. Pretty common around here.

Ah, OK. Not very common around me.

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fortune-cookie-interpretation/573777/9 "2011-03-07T18:13:30Z")

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> [@tdn](#):
>
> Ah, OK. Not very common around me.

Yep, I’ve been to true sushi restaurants when traveling, but in rural western Pennsylvania you take what you can get.😃