工欲善其事，必先利其器

gōngyùshànqíshì,bìxiānlìqíqì

idiom

Meanings

1 to do a good job, an artisan needs the best tools
2 good preparation is the prerequisite for success
3 sharpen your tools before tackling the work

Characters

worker; craftsman

tool; implement

Examples

工欲善其事，必先利其器，做项目前先把开发环境配好。

Gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì, zuò xiàngmù qián xiān bǎ kāifā huánjìng pèi hǎo.

Sharpen your tools first — before starting the project, set up the development environment properly.

学外语也讲究工欲善其事，必先利其器，一本好词典少不了。

Xué wàiyǔ yě jiǎngjiu gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì, yī běn hǎo cídiǎn shǎobuliǎo.

Learning a foreign language also follows the principle of sharpening your tools first — a good dictionary is indispensable.

Tips

history

From the 《论语·卫灵公》 (Analects, Wei Linggong chapter), where Confucius answers Zigong's question on practicing benevolence (仁, rén): a craftsman wanting to do his work well must first sharpen his tools — likewise, to cultivate virtue one must first associate with worthy ministers and benevolent scholars.

memory

Literal: 工 (worker) 欲 (wants to) 善 (do well) 其事 (his job), 必 (must) 先 (first) 利 (sharpen) 其器 (his tool). Modern parallel: 'a bad workman blames his tools' — but stated positively.

Stroke Order

工 gōng

欲 yù

善 shàn

其 qí

事 shì

必 bì

先 xiān

利 lì

器 qì