Jack of all trades, master of none

Meaning: Versatility can come at the cost of expertise.

Origin: English proverb from the 17th century, originally a compliment.

Translations

• French: Touche-à-tout, bon à rien (literally: Touch everything, good at nothing)
• Spanish: Aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada (literally: Apprentice of all, master of none)
• Japanese: 器用貧乏 (Kiyō binbō) (literally: Skilled but poor)

← Back to Proverbs

Loading the full interactive collection…