hold a candle

Etymology
From the custom of apprentices to a master holding a candle so that the master could see more clearly. The negative version implies that a person who was not fit even for such a simple task was worthless.

Verb

 * 1)  To compare; to be even remotely of the same quality, skill, etc. as another.

Translations

 * Chinese:
 * Mandarin:
 * Czech: sahat po kotníky
 * Finnish:, painia samassa sarjassa
 * French:, arriver à la cheville
 * German:
 * Hungarian: nem lehet egy napon említeni, a kisujjával sem ér fel
 * Polish: umywać się do, dorastać do pięt
 * Portuguese: chegar aos pés
 * Russian: в подмётки не годи́ться
 * Spanish: llegar a la suela del zapato, llegar a los talones
 * Thai: เทียบติด, เทียบได้