抛砖引玉
抛砖引玉 (pāo zhuān yǐn yù) literally means “throw brick attract jade” and expresses “offer modest view to inspire better”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: pao zhuan yin yu, pao zhuan yin yu,抛砖引玉 meaning, 抛砖引玉 in english
Offer modest view to inspire better
Pronunciation: pāo zhuān yǐn yù
Literal meaning: Throw brick attract jade
Origin & Usage
This elegant metaphor emerged from Tang Dynasty literary circles, where throwing (抛) a modest brick (砖) to attract (引) precious jade (玉) described the practice of sharing an simple poem to inspire superior verses from others. The story goes that a lesser-known poet presented his work to the great Li Bai, hoping to receive guidance and a response poem. This humble act led to an unexpected masterpiece from Li Bai. The idiom beautifully captures the essence of intellectual humility and the art of drawing out excellence through modest contribution. In contemporary usage, it describes situations where someone presents preliminary ideas to stimulate more refined solutions, particularly in creative fields, academic discourse, and business innovation.
Examples
English: "She shared her initial idea hoping to inspire better suggestions"
Chinese: 她分享了初步想法，希望能激发更好的建议
Discover a new Chinese idiom every day with our iOS app.
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about wisdom & learning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 抛砖引玉 mean in English?
抛砖引玉 (pāo zhuān yǐn yù) literally translates to “Throw brick attract jade” and is used to express “Offer modest view to inspire better”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 抛砖引玉 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving offer modest view to inspire better.
What is the pinyin for 抛砖引玉?
The pinyin pronunciation for 抛砖引玉 is “pāo zhuān yǐn yù”.