Gathering Stone Combs

"To gather one’s pot and comb" means to prepare to leave a place. This expression is used to indicate a decision to completely abandon a job or a location, much like packing up one’s belongings when moving out of a house. For example, when leaving a job you have held for a long time or relocating from one city to another, you might say you are gathering your pot and comb.

^{(Generated by artificial intelligence)}

The exact origin of this expression is unknown, but it may have arisen from the habits of nomadic people and travelers throughout history who would collect their possessions. In the past, especially among craftsmen, when they finished their work, they would gather all their tools and equipment—their “pot and comb”—and set off for a new destination.

"Pot" and "comb" were among the most basic personal belongings of people in earlier times. During a migration, these essential items were the most important to carry. These two objects symbolize a person’s few but significant possessions. To "gather one’s pot and comb" thus means to take even these small but vital items and depart entirely from a place.

^{(Generated by artificial intelligence)}

This expression is used when leaving a place to begin a new chapter. For example:

• My father gathered his pot and comb after retiring and returned to our village
• Since the project is finished, we can now gather our pot and comb and go home
• When my friend graduated from university, he gathered his pot and comb and moved to another country to pursue his dreams