船せん頭どう多おおくして船ふね山やまに登のぼる

expression, godan verb (-ru)

too many cooks spoil the broth

Proverb meaning that when too many people try to lead, things go wrong. The literal image is of too many captains steering a ship up a mountain.

• 会かい議ぎでみんなが別べつ々べつの指し示じを出だすと、船せん頭どう多おおくして船ふね山やまに登のぼるという結けっ果かになる。

  When everyone gives different instructions in a meeting, it ends up like 'too many captains will steer the ship up a mountain.'

• プロジェクトのリーダーは一人ひとりに絞しぼらないと、船せん頭どう多おおくして船ふね山やまに登のぼる状じょう態たいになるよ。

  If you don't narrow the project leader down to one person, you'll end up with too many cooks spoiling the broth.