Japanese Kanji 'Jack of all trades.....' Shirt

Do you know a little about lots of things, but can't count yourself as an expert on anything? Are you a competent handyman when there's a small job to do around the house, but the end result is a bit rough around the edges? This expression calls to mind 'Jack of all trades, master of none' and is pronounced 'kiyou binbou'(きようびんぼう in hiragana script), literally 'skillful but poor.' To put a better spin on it, there's a lot to be said for versatility! So wear this shirt with pride. This is part of my collection of shirts and such that feature idioms that are made up of four kanji characters. These 'yoji jukugo' (四字熟語） compounds are required study for Japanese children and appear on school entrance exams, as well as in the conversation of well read people. They are linguistic gems, conveying meaning compactly, colorfully, and quite often, profoundly! Using them in speech shows that you have a feel for the culture as well as the language,as they are often infused with references to such things as classical Chinese and Japanese literature and history and Buddhist precepts. Japanese people are often surprised when foreigners know such expressions and can use them in the right context. Wearing this shirt and remembering how to read it is a great way to motivate yourself to go beyond the surface level of Japanese language and culture studies and explore the nuances that make Japan so endlessly interesting!