名列前茅

النطق: míng liè qián máo المعنى الحرفي: Name listed among the front reeds

الأصل والاستخدام

This idiom originates from ancient Chinese military practice where commanders at the front of an army carried 'mao' (茅), a type of reed grass, as signal markers. To have one's name (名) listed (列) among the front reeds (前茅) meant being at the vanguard. The phrase evolved to describe being among the top performers in any ranking or competition. Modern usage commonly describes academic achievement, sports rankings, or business performance that places someone among the leaders.

أمثلة

الإنجليزية: "She consistently ranked at the top of her class."

الصينية: 她的成绩一直名列前茅。