Cut teeth Meaning in English
expression
ˈkət/ /ˈtiθ
KUT TEETH
kˈʌt/ /tˈiːθ
KUT TEETH
Definition
To literally grow your first teeth (as a baby), or figuratively, to gain your first experience or skills in a particular field.
Usage & Nuances
Used both literally (babies teething) and figuratively (first experience in a job/field). The idiom is more common in the figurative sense in professional/creative contexts: 'cut my teeth on...', 'cutting my teeth as...'.
Spanish: echar los dientes - ganar experienciaPortuguese (BR): cortar os dentes - ganhar experiênciaPortuguese (PT): cortar os dentes - ganhar experiênciaChinese (Simplified): 长牙 - 获得经验Chinese (Traditional): 長牙 - 獲得經驗Hindi: दांत निकलना - अनुभव प्राप्त करनाArabic: ظهور الأسنان - اكتساب الخبرةBengali: দাঁত ওঠা - অভিজ্ঞতা অর্জন করাRussian: прорезывать зубы - набираться опытаJapanese: 歯が生える - 経験を積むVietnamese: mọc răng - tích lũy kinh nghiệmKorean: 이가 나다 - 경험을 쌓다Turkish: diş çıkarmak - ilk deneyimini kazanmakUrdu: دانت نکلنا - ابتدائی تجربہ حاصل کرناIndonesian: tumbuh gigi - mendapatkan pengalaman pertama
Example Sentences
My baby is starting to cut teeth this month.
basic
He cut his teeth working at a small newspaper.
basic
New writers often cut their teeth on short stories.
basic
I really cut my teeth as a chef in that busy kitchen.
natural
Most musicians cut their teeth playing in local bands before they get famous.
natural
I cut my teeth on graphic design before moving into marketing.
natural