脱颖而出
脱颖而出 (tuō yǐng ér chū) literally means “tip of awl emerges from bag” and expresses “stand out; distinguish oneself”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving success and perseverance.
Also searched as: tuo ying er chu, tuo ying er chu,脱颖而出 meaning, 脱颖而出 in english
Stand out; distinguish oneself
Pronunciation: tuō yǐng ér chū Literal meaning: Tip of awl emerges from bag
Origin & Usage
The Lord of Pingyuan used the awl to dismiss Mao Sui: a man of ability in the world is like an awl in a bag, and its point shows at once — three years, and nothing has been heard of you. Mao Sui turned it round. Had he been put in the bag earlier, he said, the whole blade would have come through (颖脱而出), not merely the tip. The Records of the Grand Historian keeps both halves, and the idiom is built from Mao Sui's reply rather than from the original jibe.
Examples
English: "Among hundreds of applicants, she stood out from the crowd."
Chinese: 在数百名申请者中，她脱颖而出。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about success & perseverance
金蝉脱壳
jīn chán tuō qiào
Strategic escape
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不寒而栗
bù hán ér lì
Fear-induced shivering
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大器晚成
dà qì wǎn chéng
Excellence develops with time
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力挽狂澜
lì wǎn kuáng lán
Heroically reversing catastrophic situation
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一往无前
yī wǎng wú qián
Press forward courageously
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拨云见日
bō yún jiàn rì
Clear away confusion to see the truth
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一鸣惊人
yī míng jīng rén
Sudden, remarkable success
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破釜沉舟
pò fǔ chén zhōu
Commit with no retreat
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 脱颖而出 mean in English?
脱颖而出 (tuō yǐng ér chū) literally translates to “Tip of awl emerges from bag” and is used to express “Stand out; distinguish oneself”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Success & Perseverance category.
When is 脱颖而出 used?
Situation: Among hundreds of applicants, she stood out from the crowd.
What is the pinyin for 脱颖而出?
The pinyin pronunciation for 脱颖而出 is “tuō yǐng ér chū”.