鹤立鸡群
鹤立鸡群 (hè lì jī qún) literally means “crane stands among chickens” and expresses “stand out from crowd”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: he li ji qun, he li ji qun,鹤立鸡群 meaning, 鹤立鸡群 in english
Stand out from crowd
Pronunciation: hè lì jī qún Literal meaning: Crane stands among chickens
Origin & Usage
This one comes from the Shishuo Xinyu, on Ji Shao, of whom an onlooker said that seeing him in a crowd was like seeing a crane (鹤) standing (立) among chickens (鸡群). The remark was reported to his father's friend, who replied that the onlooker had never seen the father. The distinction it names is bearing rather than rank. Somebody conspicuously above the company they are standing in — and the compliment is to bearing rather than to rank.
Examples
English: "Her innovative solution distinguished her from conventional thinkers"
Chinese: 她的创新解决方案使她从传统思维者中脱颖而出
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
闻鸡起舞
wén jī qǐ wǔ
Practice with determination
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风声鹤唳
fēng shēng hè lì
Overly fearful and suspicious
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鹤发童颜
hè fà tóng yán
Youthful despite old age
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杀鸡取卵
shā jī qǔ luǎn
Sacrifice long-term benefits for short-term gains
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呆若木鸡
dāi ruò mù jī
Completely stunned or dumbfounded
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鸡飞蛋打
jī fēi dàn dǎ
To lose everything; complete failure
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毛遂自荐
máo suì zì jiàn
Volunteer oneself confidently
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春蚕到死
chūn cán dào sǐ
Give out until nothing is left
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 鹤立鸡群 mean in English?
鹤立鸡群 (hè lì jī qún) literally translates to “Crane stands among chickens” and is used to express “Stand out from crowd”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 鹤立鸡群 used?
Situation: Her innovative solution distinguished her from conventional thinkers
What is the pinyin for 鹤立鸡群?
The pinyin pronunciation for 鹤立鸡群 is “hè lì jī qún”.
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