"No matter how sharp your teeth are, you can't bite water" signifies that every problem has its own unique solution, and it's crucial to understand the nature of the challenge before attempting to solve it. It emphasizes that brute force or relying solely on one's strengths, like sharp teeth, isn't always effective. Instead, adaptability, understanding the problem's characteristics, and finding the right approach are key.
Essentially, the proverb encourages a thoughtful and strategic approach to problem-solving, emphasizing the importance of understanding the problem before attempting to solve it.
- From online with editing
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I ran into this African proverb yesterday when surfing online, and the more I think about it this morning, the more complex it appears to be.
And there are good reasons: the world is "razzle-dazzle" and changing all the time, humanity is complex, often with "neither rhyme nor reason", plus "there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip", so there ain't a fixed model to solve all the problems, regardless how sharp the model is.
"Circumstances alter cases", neither "chest thumping" nor "burying head in the sand" would help. Best is to get out from "Sunday blues" and be "busy as a bee" to think, think, think ...
Oh I found some good strategies:
- "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu 《孙子兵法》：https://sunzi.5000yan.com/
- "Thirty-Six Stratagems" by unknown author 《三十六计》: https://sunzi.5000yan.com/36/
Maybe we can use them to handle water instead of biting it?? 
