Clichés stand the test of time and persist from one generation to the next. Here are some of the most common clichés about love and their meanings.
If they didn’t have some poignant meaning behind them, some of the top clichés probably wouldn’t have made it from generation to generation. We’ve collected 20 of the top cliché sayings about love and deciphered their true meanings for you.
#1 The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. A guy is looking for a woman who he sees as a capable caregiver and mate. A woman who takes command of the kitchen and knows her way around a meal may be attractive to men in a primal sense because it shows that she can and is willing to take care of her family. [Read: Foodie dates: 15 trendy dinner ideas for new couples]
#2 Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free? There is some evidence that suggests that if you sleep with a guy right away, he may form a different opinion of you. Most guys are attracted to the whole “hunt and chase” feeling of dating. If you sleep with him right away, the challenge for him may be over. That can doom his long-term feelings about your being something special and worth waiting for.
#3 Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. If you get fooled by someone in a relationship once, you don’t really have to take responsibility. If, however, you get fooled again, then you need to take a good look inside yourself to find why you would allow someone to make you feel less than worthy of the best, especially more than once. If you get screwed once and don’t learn from it, you are likely to be screwed again. [Read: Fool me once shame on you–Don’t get fooled again]
#4 Women are looking for someone just like their daddy. Women are looking for a guy who will defend her, protect her, and look out for her. Those are all characteristics that a father is supposed to possess. So when she’s looking for a long-term mate, she’ll likely pull from her mental notes about what qualities a good man should have. [Read: Dating a girl with daddy issues: 15 things you must know]
#5 If you want to know how a woman will be in 20 years, just look at her mother. It may be easiest to explain this cliché by using another common saying: The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. If a woman has had a good relationship with her mother, it’s likely that over time, she’ll adopt many of her qualities and idiosyncrasies.
#6 I love you, I am just not in love with you. It is possible to love someone with all that you are, but just not have that chemistry that makes you want to stay with them forever.
#7 It isn’t you, it’s me. Although a confusing statement, it endures because it is true. Sometimes it really isn’t anything you have or have not done, but rather, it’s just a feeling that your partner can’t change or help. [Read: 12 real reasons why couples drift away over time]
#8 Actions speak louder than words. If they are telling you they love you but they’re not coming home at night or are blowing you off and hurting your feelings, then it’s more important to pay attention to their behavior instead of what they are saying. [Read: How to prove that you love someone the right way]
#9 Don’t kiss and tell. It’s important even from the beginning to keep what is between you and your mate between you and your mate. If you let others know about the intimate details of your relationship, then it may feel like a betrayal.
#10 If you stop looking, you will find someone. If you are actively trying to pursue a mate and making it your obsession, then it’s probably a good idea to take some time off and focus on something else. Or, it may be that you are likely looking in the wrong places. [Read: How to meet the one without appearing desperate]
#11 Opposites attract. Opposites may attract, but they certainly may not be good for one another. Having things in common is important. Sometimes it’s those things about ourselves that we don’t like in others. That’s why someone who is different can be attractive. The problem is that if you aren’t ever on the same page, it’s difficult to live together forever. [Read: Do opposites attract or do they push each other away?]
#12 Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes, it really does take going through a hardship to see that what you may have wanted in the first place wasn’t exactly what you needed. It can be hard to see at the time, but in hindsight, it’s often true that things do tend to happen so that better opportunities can come along.
#13 Women are looking for a bad boy. There is something attractive about a guy who bucks the system. Women who are looking for a bad guy are looking for someone who exudes strength, independence, and confidence. That doesn’t mean that she is looking to be cheated on, demeaned, or disrespected, however. [Read: Unpopular opinion: 10 reasons to date the bad boy]
#14 Set them free, and if it was meant to be, they will come back. It is true that if you hold on too tightly, you are going to smother the relationship. Sometimes, creating distance is a good way to get your partner to see all that they are missing. Be careful, however, because sometimes creating distance backfires. Make sure that you really can live without them and that you aren’t just trying to prove your point before you say goodbye.
#15 Love is blind. Love is blind. We have a tendency to look past those things that we don’t like or aren’t what we would choose in an ideal mate. If we truly love someone, we’re willing to look past their flaws. [Read: 6 common problems faced by couples who live together]
#16 You can’t have your cake and eat it too. If you’re playing two people at once in your relationship, then you are headed for disaster. Having the best of both worlds may feel good right now, but when the shit hits the fan, you’re going to be the one with cake all over your face.
#17 You can’t love someone until you love yourself. It’s hard to be loved when you don’t understand why someone would love you. If you are overly critical of yourself or don’t like who you are, it can be difficult to have someone fill that space for you without truly believing that you’re worth loving. [Read: 6 reasons to love yourself first before falling in love]
#18 It’s better to be happy than to be right. Sometimes we have to be wrong to get along. If you never concede, you aren’t ever going to find peace. You have to learn to pick your battles. In a relationship, it’s much more productive to consider what’s best for the relationship, rather than which side “wins.” If you want peace, just let it go.
#19 There is no “I” in “team.” You can’t always sacrifice who you are and what you want in a relationship, but you do need to take the needs and goals of the relationship into account now that you’re a team. There has to be a happy medium between the two if you want to find love, acceptance, and your happily ever after. [Read: Compromise and relationships: 12 tips to give without losing]
#20 Marry your best friend. Friendship is an important part of any romantic relationship. You want to be with someone in whom you can confide and place your trust, not to mention have fun with! [Read: Marrying your best friend: 20 signs you should do it]
Clichés exist for a reason—they usually have some benefit behind them. These love clichés have stood the test of time because there is an underlying message to be gleaned from them.
