Rule of thumb Meaning in English
expression
ROOL-uhv-THUHM
ROOL-ov-THUM
Definition
A general guideline based on practice or experience, not a strict or scientific rule.
Usage & Nuances
Informal and commonly used to describe practical guidelines in everyday situations. Not for strict rules or legal/technical instructions. Often introduces advice: 'As a rule of thumb, ...'.
Spanish: regla general - regla prácticaPortuguese (BR): regra prática - regra geralPortuguese (PT): regra prática - regra geralChinese (Simplified): 经验法则 - 大致原则Chinese (Traditional): 經驗法則 - 大致原則Hindi: अनुमानित तरीका - सामान्य नियमArabic: قاعدة عامة - قاعدة تقريبيةBengali: আনুমানিক নিয়ম - অভ্যাসগত নিয়মRussian: практическое правило - эмпирическое правилоJapanese: 大まかな目安 - 経験則Vietnamese: nguyên tắc chung - quy tắc kinh nghiệmKorean: 경험적인 원칙 - 대략적인 기준Turkish: genel kural - başparmak kuralı (deyim)Urdu: عمومی اصول - اندازاً اصولIndonesian: patokan umum - aturan praktis
Example Sentences
A good rule of thumb is to drink eight glasses of water a day.
basic
As a rule of thumb, add salt to taste after cooking.
basic
Use your hand as a rule of thumb to measure portions.
basic
When cooking pasta, my rule of thumb is to boil it for 10 minutes.
natural
As a rule of thumb, if it feels too heavy, it probably is.
natural
There's no fixed answer, but a rule of thumb is to start small and adjust as needed.
natural