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  What it means

  A politer variant of the same idea: even in the most capable hands, you cannot transform one thing into something fundamentally different. Limitations of raw material cannot be overcome by skill alone.

  English equivalent

  You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

  Vocabulary

  • owies — oats
  • ryż — rice

  Grammar note

  'Z owsa' is the genitive of 'owies' after 'zrobić z'.

  Cultural context

  A milder, more polite version of the vulgar variant, suitable for all company.

  Beginner

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