一技之长 - use and any synonyms?

[Scoobyqueen]

I have said before that it seems that Chinese has many words related to skill and competence and I have often wondered if this is related to the high value placed on such qualities in Chinese society. Here is another one, this time in the form of a 成语

一技之长

I have two questions. How common is this expression in normal speech and in which situations would it typically be used, ie education or job?

Are there any other 成语-synonyms that mean skill and competence that immediately spring to mind?

Thanks in advance.

[zhxlier]

More in written than in speaking, but a common phrase regardless.

It mostly refer to the skills that enable you to make a living. For example, if you can repair bicycles or do welding, we'd say you have “一技之长”. If you can make a living being a Chinese translator, Chinese is your “一技之长”; otherwise, even if you speak Chinese better than most non-Chinese people, it can hardly be called “一技之长”.

[Hanyu'sWay]

上不上大学不要紧,有一技之长才能在社会上立足.

有了一技之长,就不怕没饭吃.

到了军中,除了锻炼体格,培养毅力之外,能学到一技之长就更好了

会刻图章,也算是有一技之长吧.

[cockneylad]

一技之长(yi1 ji4 zhi1 chang2) is about a survival skill.

一 = one

技 = 技能(skill/ability)

之 = of

长 = 擅长,长处(something that you are good at/the merit)

[jinhr]

Though loosely relative, the 成语 pop up into my mind are:

班门弄斧

寸有所长，尺有所短

工欲善其事，必先利其器

黔驴技穷