Méitóuxù de shíhou bié dāng zhuàngyūnjī, xiān zuòxià xiǎngxiǎng.
When you've lost the thread, don't be a headless chicken - sit down and think first.
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Just like English 'like a chicken with its head cut off' - the Chinese version is literally 'a chicken that banged itself dizzy.' Both cultures use frantic poultry for the same image.