Talk:the world is someone's oyster

I wanted to say that a very common, perhaps the most common meaning for, "The world is your oyster" is that you are free to do whatever you want. Life is open to you, and you can do whatever you want, and go wherever you want.

This seems to me not at all the same as " in order to achieve anything in this world, you have to grab the opportunity" Invertzoo 21:32, 1 October 2007 (UTC)

RFV discussion: July–August 2017
"In order to achieve something in this world, one has to grab the opportunity." Not my understanding. Distinct from sense 1, which means every opportunity is open to somebody (without the implication of having to grab or work hard). Equinox ◑ 17:24, 10 July 2017 (UTC)


 * I don't recognise sense 2. I vote to delete it if no one comes forward with definite knowledge of it. "the world is one's oyster" feels odd to me, but I don't know what else to do with it. Off-topic, I am reminded of one of my favourite ever lines, from UK sitcom Only Fools and Horses, where one of the characters muddles up the expression and says "The world is your lobster". Mihia (talk)

RFV-failed Kiwima (talk) 04:04, 11 August 2017 (UTC)
 * Still stuck with translations for that sense in Japanese and Korean. Should they be moved to the "translations to be checked" section? W3ird N3rd (talk) 04:50, 11 August 2017 (UTC)
 * I would think so. Not every proverb has an exact translation. I would think that strike while the iron is hot is a closer translation target. Kiwima (talk) 05:53, 11 August 2017 (UTC)