Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

the nail that sticks out gets hammered down

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.29 in modern English

Syllables: the -nail that -stick-s out get-s ham-mered -down
IPA

61

Scrabble Score

36

Letters

7

Syllables

17

Unique Chars

Meaning

proverb

Those who are too different or conspicuous get criticized or sanctioned by others.

Etymology

Calque of Japanese 出る釘は打たれる (deru kugi wa utareru)

Phrases

crab mentality keep one's head down Law of Jante tall poppy syndrome tall trees catch much wind

Frequently Paired Words

crab mentality keep one's head down Law of Jante tall poppy syndrome tall trees catch much wind

Questions

What does the nail that sticks out gets hammered down mean?: Those who are too different or conspicuous get criticized or sanctioned by others.
Where does the nail that sticks out gets hammered down come from?: Calque of Japanese 出る釘は打たれる (deru kugi wa utareru)

How to pronounce the nail that sticks out gets hammered down

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