better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of an ox
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of an ox
literaryUsed to express a preference for being a leader in a small but independent position rather than a subordinate in a large but subservient one. Often involves a choice between autonomy and scale/power. Also stated as 鸡尸牛从 (jī shī niú cóng).
He turned down the position at that big corporation and chose to be a manager at our small company—truly preferring to be the head of a chicken rather than the tail of an ox.
As the ancients said, 'Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of an ox,' emphasizing the importance of independence.
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In this project, he would rather be the leader of a small group than an ordinary member of a large team, which reflects the 'head of a chicken, tail of an ox' mentality.