楚材晋用
楚材晋用 (chǔ cái jìn yòng) literally means “chu talent jin use” and expresses “recruit talent from rival organization”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.
Also searched as: chu cai jin yong, chu cai jin yong,楚材晋用 meaning, 楚材晋用 in english
Recruit talent from rival organization
Pronunciation: chǔ cái jìn yòng Literal meaning: Chu talent Jin use
Origin & Usage
The Zuo Zhuan records Sheng Zi putting it to Zimu, chief minister of Chu: Jin's ministers are not the equal of Chu's, but its officers are able men, and they are Chu's — like fine timber and leather, they went from here. Though Chu has the talent (楚材), it is Jin that actually employs it (晋用). He then listed the defectors and what each had since done to Chu. The phrase names an institutional failure rather than mere emigration, and it now goes to companies and countries alike.
Examples
English: "The rival corporation recruited top engineers from its struggling competitor"
Chinese: 这家竞争对手公司从陷入困境的竞争对手那里招募了顶尖工程师
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about wisdom & learning
大材小用
dà cái xiǎo yòng
Waste talent on menial tasks
Learn more →
因材施教
yīn cái shī jiào
Adapt teaching to student abilities
Learn more →
学以致用
xué yǐ zhì yòng
Practical application
Learn more →
四面楚歌
sì miàn chǔ gē
Surrounded by hostility
Learn more →
朝秦暮楚
zhāo qín mù chǔ
Constantly shifting loyalty for personal gain
Learn more →
从善如流
cóng shàn rú liú
Readily accept good advice
Learn more →
物尽其用
wù jìn qí yòng
Maximize resource use
Learn more →
断章取义
duàn zhāng qǔ yì
Out of context
Learn more →
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 楚材晋用 mean in English?
楚材晋用 (chǔ cái jìn yòng) literally translates to “Chu talent Jin use” and is used to express “Recruit talent from rival organization”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 楚材晋用 used?
Situation: The rival corporation recruited top engineers from its struggling competitor
What is the pinyin for 楚材晋用?
The pinyin pronunciation for 楚材晋用 is “chǔ cái jìn yòng”.