# يعلم من أين تؤكل الكتف



## Andrew___

Hello, regarding this nice proverb:
*
يعلم من أين تؤكل الكتف*

May I ask if it is still used today?  Would people know what I am talking about if I use it in the appropriate context?

Cheers.


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## yasmeena

Yes, I think so. I personally use it in my everyday talk.


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## Talib

May I ask what exactly تؤكل الكتف means? I hate when I can't figure out these things from context.


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## ayed

It says :"he knows well from where a shoulder be eaten..He does know very well his own business..


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## cherine

Or: He knows very well where to get profit.
It uasually has a negative connotation.


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## Haroon

as Ayed said , it is said to describe a person who can manage his own business perfectly, but out of context , it may not have a negative connotation. This man is cunning - or smart.


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## londonmasri

He knows where his bread is buttered... (?)


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## Andrew___

Hi London,

Yes that is the perfect translation because it keeps to the style of the original whilst retaining the same meaning.


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## Talib

Silly question, but how is تؤكل pronounced? I should review the rules for hamza ...


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## Andrew___

It is tu'kilu.


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## djara

Andrew___ said:


> It is tu'kalu.


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## A-class-act

On traduit ça on français "c'est une pointure"???


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## Milado

Haroon said:


> as Ayed said , it is said to describe a person who can manage his own business perfectly, but out of context , it may not have a negative connotation. This man is cunning - or smart.





djara said:


> It is tu'kalu.


I agree with these two posts.

Regards


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## zooz

yasmeena said:


> Yes, I think so. I personally use it in my everyday talk.



Same for me. Would people know what you're talking about? It depends.



cherine said:


> It usually has a negative connotation.



That's weird. To my ears it only has a positive one; being savvy/witty.


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## cherine

Maybe it has a different connotation in different countries, or maybe it's me because I've only heard with a rather negative meaning. But I agree that it's not 100% negative.


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## Xence

A-class-act said:


> On traduit ça on français "c'est une pointure"???


Non, je dirais plutôt: "_Il connaît bien son affaire!_"


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## Outlandish

londonmasri said:


> He knows where his bread is buttered... (?)


I like this one....


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## Mahaodeh

cherine said:


> Maybe it has a different connotation in different countries, or maybe it's me because I've only heard with a rather negative meaning. But I agree that it's not 100% negative.


 
I actually agree with the negative connotation; when talking about someone smart or able to find profit/benefit I usually hear things like مفتح باللبن، مقطع راس السمكة وذيلها، شاطر...الخ

I hear this expression mostly to describe a cunning person and/or a "bootlicker". Maybe I'm wrong, but I personally feel it's closer to مسبة than anything else.


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## Outlandish

Like our friend said, its connotations differ from a country-and from a person-to the other.
Personally, I see such a person as an admirsble intelligent and charismatic person.


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## shuaibah

Would you please tell me the translation of this sentence:

يَعْرِفُ مِنْ أَيْنَ تُؤْكَلُ  الكَتِفُ


This sentence is used to describe كَتِفٌ

*Modertaor note:
This new thread is now merged to the previous one about the same topic. Please remember to search for the answer before opening a new thread to avoid duplicates.
Thanks *


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## Masjeen

Do you want the translation or the story..?

Here the translation:

يَعْرِفُ مِنْ أَيْنَ تُؤْكَلُ الكَتِفُ
He knows where to eat the Shoulder

And here the story: 

هو يضرب للرجل الداهية والواعي بأن الكتف تؤكل 
من أسفلها أما أكلها من أعلاها فخطأ كبير لأن المرقة تجري بين لحم الكتف والعظم 
فإن أخذتها من أعلى جرت عليك المرقة وانصبت هدراً وإن أخذتها من أسفلها إنقشرت عن عظمها وبقيت المرقه ثابتة مكانها فتمكنت من كليها اللحم والمرق​


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