# If you build a hammer, make sure you have something to nail



## Tsingtao

If you build a hammer, make sure you have something to nail.

What would be the best translation?


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## Bigote Blanco

Tsingtao said:


> If you build a hammer, make sure you have something to nail.
> 
> What would be the best translation?


 
Hi Tsingtao, what would be your best translation?? You try first-according the the rules of the forum.


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## Tsingtao

Ok, I will try my best first:

有了金钢钻，得有瓷器活儿


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## Tsingtao

er...... any suggestions, guys?


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## indigoduck

要做一把榔头，得先有东西锤



Mind you this is chinese from an english speaker. Whether this sounds natural in chinese is a different story.


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## kfz2010

有多大碗, 吃多少饭

Eat no more than what your bowl can hold.


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## indigoduck

kfz2010 said:


> 有多大碗, 吃多少饭
> 
> Eat no more than what your bowl can hold.


 
I'm confused ...

Is this the translation of ?

"If you build a hammer, make sure you have something to nail."


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## Mic Chan

i think that was a classical Chinese.

工欲善其事,必先利其器.

^_^


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## HOUYI

In my mind, a Chinese idiom "有的放矢" will work.


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## kfz2010

有的放矢

That's the one I tried but failed to find out;-)


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## Tsingtao

Ah, Thanks to all of you, there are a couple of good ones.


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## bighead+

1. I second "有的放矢"。
2. or "不要学屠龙之技”， “Don't learn how to kill a dragon”。This one is what I come up with. not as good as "有的放矢"， but sometimes it's a more colorful phrase.


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## bighead+

bighead+ said:


> 1. I second "有的放矢"。
> 2. or "不要学屠龙之技”， “Don't learn how to kill a dragon”。This one is what I come up with. not as good as "有的放矢"， but sometimes it's a more colorful phrase.



After 2nd thought, I think "不要学屠龙之技" is the better one. "有的放矢" means "to have an aim before actions". "If you build a hammer, make sure you have something to nail" probably means " Don't build a hammer without anything to nail". These two meanings are a little different. As there is no dragon in this world, skills to kill a dragon are impractical. "屠龙之技" (skills to kill a dragon) is a Chinese idiom which means impractical skills/knowledge.


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