There’s a Chinese term for a generalist that literally translates as “equipped with knives all over, yet none is sharp.” In Estonia, a similar idea is expressed with a phrase that translates as “nine trades, the tenth one hunger.” This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Knives All Over Yet None is Sharp”
Apparently in China they have an expression which translates as equipped with knives all over yet none is sharp.
Oh.
Right, to refer to the generalist rather than the specialist.
And apparently in Estonia there’s an expression that goes nine trades, the tenth one hunger.
Ooh.
I just love those, right?
Yes.
But I don’t know, different cultural approaches to the idea that you might be really good at a lot of things versus cultures where you focus your attention on one particular thing and become the absolute master of that.
What’s the Chinese one again?
Equipped with knives all over, yet none is sharp.
