ProverbWisdom
French origin
French originQui trop embrasse mal étreint
Meaning: Attempting too many things at once means doing none of them properly.
Literally: He who embraces too much holds badly
Example: “Il s'est inscrit à cinq clubs et n'avance dans aucun : qui trop embrasse mal étreint.” — He signed up for five clubs and isn't getting anywhere in any of them: grasp all, lose all.
Equivalents in English, Spanish, Japanese, German, and Dutch
English: Jack of all trades, master of none
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)
Origin: Embrasser keeps its literal sense of taking into the arms, not kissing. Arms full past their capacity cannot grip anything, which is exactly the failure mode being described.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
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- Un chasseur sachant chasser doit savoir chasser sans son chien. The classic French 'ch' / 's' tangler.
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