gung1 juk6 sin6 kei4 si6 ，bit1 sin1 lei6 kei4 hei3工欲善其事，必先利其器
Jyutpinggung1 juk6 sin6 kei4 si6 ，bit1 sin1 lei6 kei4 hei3
Yalegūng yuhk sihn kèih sih ，bīt sīn leih kèih hei
Definition
One must sharpen one's tools to do a good job; preparation is key to success.
neutralworkdaily actions
How it's used
This idiom is used to justify spending money on high quality equipment or preparation before starting a task. It is often cited when someone is hesitant to invest in professional gear but wants professional results. While formal in origin, it is frequently used in casual conversation to sound slightly witty or persuasive.
Examples
To do a good job, you need good tools; you should buy a better computer first.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
