236Japanese idiom 四字熟語
適材適所
てきざいてきしょTekizai tekisho
“The right timber in the right place.”
The meaning
The image comes from carpentry: each wood species has its role. So with people — talent misplaced withers, well placed it shines.
At the origin
An expression born from the vocabulary of Japanese carpenters.
The characters
In practice
Seek the place where your natural qualities serve, rather than the one that shines.