德才兼备
德才兼备 (dé cái jiān bèi) literally means “virtue and talent combined” and expresses “moral and capable”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character.
Also searched as: de cai jian bei, de cai jian bei,德才兼备 meaning, 德才兼备 in english
Moral and capable
Pronunciation: dé cái jiān bèi Literal meaning: Virtue and talent combined
Origin & Usage
Virtue (德) and ability (才), both (兼) possessed (备). The phrase matters in Chinese less as literature than as policy: it is the standard formula for personnel selection, and it is normally quoted with its second clause, 以德为先 — both, with virtue first. That ordering is the whole argument, and Chinese discussions of appointments return to it constantly, because the interesting cases are the ones where a candidate plainly has one and not the other.
Examples
English: "She was admired not only for her skills but also for her integrity."
Chinese: 她不仅因技能而受到赞赏，也因品德而受到尊敬。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about relationships & character
兼收并蓄
jiān shōu bìng xù
Embrace diverse ideas inclusively
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德高望重
dé gāo wàng zhòng
Respected elder
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攻其不备
gōng qí bù bèi
Surprise attack
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功德圆满
gōng dé yuán mǎn
Successful completion
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有备无患
yǒu bèi wú huàn
Trouble skips the prepared
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人尽其才
rén jìn qí cái
Maximize individual potential
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江郎才尽
jiāng láng cái jìn
Creativity permanently dried up
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博学多才
bó xué duō cái
Versatile and learned
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 德才兼备 mean in English?
德才兼备 (dé cái jiān bèi) literally translates to “Virtue and talent combined” and is used to express “Moral and capable”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.
When is 德才兼备 used?
Situation: She was admired not only for her skills but also for her integrity.
What is the pinyin for 德才兼备?
The pinyin pronunciation for 德才兼备 is “dé cái jiān bèi”.