扬长避短 (yáng cháng bì duǎn) — to make the most of one's strengths and avoid one's weaknesses; to play to one's strengths
Definition
Idiom meaning to use one's strengths and sidestep weaknesses — a strategy of emphasizing what one does well rather than fixing every flaw. Common in work, study, and team-management contexts.
idiom
to make the most of one's strengths and avoid one's weaknessesto play to one's strengths
Examples
- ，扬长避短。Zài gōng zuò zhōng, wǒ men yào xué huì yáng cháng bì duǎn.At work, we need to learn to play to our strengths and avoid our weaknesses.
- ，扬长避短。Tā xuǎn zé zhè ge zhuān yè, zhèng shì wèi le yáng cháng bì duǎn.He chose this major precisely to make the most of his strengths and avoid his weaknesses.
- 扬长避短，。Yí gè yōu xiù de tuán duì dǒng de yáng cháng bì duǎn, fā huī měi gè rén de tè cháng.An excellent team knows how to play to its strengths and avoid its weaknesses, leveraging each person's specialty.
Origin
Compound word构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side
Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.
扬 raises strengths and 避 avoids weaknesses, so the whole means playing to strengths.
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