What is the origin of the idiom "hit the nail on the head" and when to use it?

The idiom "hit the nail on the head" originated from carpentry, referring to literally striking a nail perfectly in one attempt on the center of its head with a hammer. This idiom emerged in the early 16th century, capturing how difficult but satisfactory it was to precisely target the small head of a nail. The expression is now used to describe getting straight to the heart of a matter, or precisely identifying and understanding an issue.