a jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one/ɐ dʒˈæk ʌv ˈɔːl tɹˈeɪdz ɪz ɐ mˈæstɚɹ ʌv nˈʌn bˌʌt ˈɔfɪntˌaɪmz bˈɛɾɚ ðˌænə mˈæstɚɹ ʌv wˌʌn/sentence
used to suggest that having a broad range of skills or knowledge can be more useful than expertise in only one area
"Knowing a bit of everything is sometimes more useful than mastering one thing — a jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one."
"She applied her varied skills everywhere, proving a jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one."
there are tricks in every trade/ðɛɹˌɑːɹ tɹˈɪks ɪn ˈɛvɹi tɹˈeɪd/sentence
used to suggests that even the most skilled and experienced professionals have their own methods or tricks for getting the job done
"Every profession has its secrets and tricks — there are tricks in every trade."
"She quickly learned the informal methods nobody had taught her — there are tricks in every trade."
a carpenter is known by his chips/ɐ kˈɑːɹpəntɚɹ ɪz nˈoʊn baɪ hɪz tʃˈɪps/sentence
used to imply that a person's character or reputation can be judged by the quality of their work or actions, and the traces or results they leave behind
"You can tell a craftsman by their work — a carpenter is known by his chips."
"The quality of the output revealed everything about who had done it — a carpenter is known by his chips."
a good archer is not known by his arrows but by his aim/ɐ ɡˈʊd ˈɑːɹtʃɚɹ ɪz nˌɑːt nˈoʊn baɪ hɪz ˈæɹoʊz bˌʌt baɪ hɪz ˈeɪm/sentence
used to highlight the importance of skill, precision, and expertise in achieving success, rather than the specific tools or resources employed
"You judge a person by their aims, not just their results — a good archer is not known by his arrows but by his aim."
"He missed the target but his intentions and method were sound — a good archer is not known by his arrows but by his aim."
nine tailors make a man/nˈaɪn tˈeɪlɚz mˌeɪk ɐ mˈæn/sentence
used to imply the value of having diverse abilities and being adaptable, indicating that those who possess a variety of skills or can perform various tasks are considered more capable and complete
"Many small contributions make a whole person — nine tailors make a man."
"No single skill made her exceptional — nine tailors make a man, and she had cultivated them all."
the eye of the master will do more work than both his hands/ðə aɪ əv ðə ˈmæstər wɪl du mɔr wərk ðən boʊθ hɪz hænz/sentence
used to suggest that mastery in a particular trade or craft can lead to greater efficiency and productivity, as the master can intuitively know how to accomplish more with less effort
"Master's eye works hard."
"The eye of the master will do more work than both his hands, demonstrating superior efficiency through expertise."
Learn all 6 words in this list with spaced repetition