a bad workman always blames his tools
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
It is not the tools we use that make us good, but rather how we employ them.
Chất lượng công việc không phụ thuộc vào công cụ
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Upon failure, it is easier to blame the tools used rather than how they were employed.
Khi thất bại, dễ đổ lỗi cho công cụ hơn là cách sử dụng
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “a bad workman always blames his tools” mean?
It is not the tools we use that make us good, but rather how we employ them.
Is “a bad workman always blames his tools” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.