凤毛麟角

Pronunciation: fèng máo lín jiǎo
Literal meaning: Phoenix feather unicorn horn

Origin & Usage

Combining two of the most rare mythical elements - phoenix (凤) feathers (毛) and unicorn/qilin (麟) horns (角) - this idiom emerged from Han Dynasty imperial court documents describing exceptional talents or items of extraordinary rarity. The phoenix and qilin were considered divine creatures whose appearances heralded golden ages. The metaphor gained prominence during the Tang Dynasty when it was used to describe exceptional scholars and artists. In contemporary usage, it describes extremely rare talents, opportunities, or resources, often in professional recruitment or when discussing unique innovations.

Examples

English: "Such exceptional talent is extremely rare in the industry"

Chinese: 这样杰出的人才在行业中非常罕见

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