ProverbWisdom
English origin18th c.
English origin18th c.Jack of all trades, master of none
Meaning: Versatility can come at the cost of expertise.
Origin: "Jack" was the name for any ordinary man, and a "Jack of all trades" was simply someone who could turn his hand to anything — not necessarily an insult. In 1592 the playwright Robert Greene sneered at the young Shakespeare as a "Johannes factotum," the Latin version of the same thing. The dismissive tail "master of none" was added in the 18th century.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, German, and Dutch
French: Qui trop embrasse mal étreint (literally: Whoever grasps too much holds poorly)
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)
German: Hansdampf in allen Gassen (literally: Jack Steam in every alley)
Dutch: Twaalf ambachten, dertien ongelukken (literally: Twelve trades, thirteen misfortunes)
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