# 熟能生巧

shú néng shēng qiǎo

Practice makes you skillful

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Familiarity produces skill

**Register:** Encouraging · conversational

[Effort & growth](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/effort)

## When to use it

Use when repeated practice leads to ease and accuracy.

It stresses practice; it does not mean expertise appears automatically.

## Behind the words

The saying connects familiarity with skill. It is often explained alongside traditional stories about practiced craftspeople, without needing a single inventor.

Here 熟 means familiarity developed through practice, and 巧 refers to skill or dexterity. Repetition is useful because it builds judgment and fluency, not simply because time passes. The idiom encourages learners who are awkward at first. It fits manual tasks, speaking, performance, and practical routines, but works best when practice includes attention to mistakes and improvement.

## Examples

多练几次就会顺手，熟能生巧嘛。

### Traditional Chinese

多練幾次就會順手，熟能生巧嘛。

duō liàn jǐ cì jiù huì shùn shǒu ， shú néng shēng qiǎo ma 。

A few more rounds of practice will make it easier—skill comes with practice.

刚开始包饺子很慢，做多了自然熟能生巧。

### Traditional Chinese

剛開始包餃子很慢，做多了自然熟能生巧。

gāng kāi shǐ bāo jiǎo zǐ hěn màn ， zuò duō le zì rán shú néng shēng qiǎo 。

Making dumplings is slow at first, but practice brings skill.

她每天练习这个曲子，熟能生巧，终于能轻松弹完了。

### Traditional Chinese

她每天練習這個曲子，熟能生巧，終於能輕鬆彈完了。

tā měi tiān liàn xí zhè ge qǔ zi ， shú néng shēng qiǎo ， zhōng yú néng qīng sōng tán wán le 。

She practiced the piece daily and eventually learned to play it with ease.

操作这台机器不用怕，按步骤多练几次就会熟能生巧。

### Traditional Chinese

操作這臺機器不用怕，按步驟多練幾次就會熟能生巧。

cāo zuò zhè tái jī qì bú yòng pà ， àn bù zhòu duō liàn jǐ cì jiù huì shú néng shēng qiǎo 。

Do not be intimidated by the machine; repeated practice with the steps will make you more skillful.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 4, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=282&q=1&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E7%86%9F%E8%83%BD%E7%94%9F%E5%B7%A7)

## Keep exploring

- [水滴石穿 shuǐ dī shí chuān Steady effort can overcome a hard task ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/shui-di-shi-chuan)

- [夙兴夜寐 sù xīng yè mèi Rise early and sleep late through diligence ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/su-xing-ye-mei)

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