097Japanese proverb ことわざ
帯に短し襷に長し
おびにみじかしたすきにながしObi ni mijikashi tasuki ni nagashi
“Too short for a sash, too long for a sleeve cord.”
The meaning
The half-suited serves nothing: neither this nor that. Better one tool right for one use than ten compromises fit for none.
At the origin
The obi is the kimono's wide sash, the tasuki the cord that ties up sleeves.
The characters
- 帯 obisash
- に nifor
- 短し mijikashitoo short
- 襷
- に
- 長し
にParticleThe point of arrival: a place, a moment, a destination.
In practice
Stop keeping "just in case" what fits no real use.