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понимать, что к чему stresses
gen.	know a thing or two; know beans; know the ropes; know one's way about; know what is what; know what o'clock it is; up to a thing or two; be up-stroke a thing or two; have one's wits about one; keep wits about one (VLZ_58); know black from white; know black from the white; be up to a thing or two
amer.	be street-smart (Taras)
idiom.	know how many beans make five (Yeldar Azanbayev); know which way is up (в основном с отрицанием в знач. "ни черта не смыслить" Баян); know which end is up (в основном с отрицанием в знач. "ни черта не смыслить" Баян); know what's o'clock (Bobrovska)
inf.	know the drill (to understand what usually happens in a given situation Val_Ships); be in the picture (не в значении "разбираться", а в значении "знать, что происходит" 4uzhoj); know what's what
Makarov.	know chalk from cheese
понимать что к чему
gen.	know what side our bread is buttered on (to understand what is to your benefit, to understand where to put your energies in order to benefit yourself, to know which choice is to your advantage КГА)

понимать, что к чему: 22 phrases in 5 subjects

General	10
Informal	1
Jargon	4
Makarov	6
Polite	1