优胜劣汰(優勝劣汰)
优胜劣汰 (yōu shèng liè tài) literally means “superior wins inferior eliminated”and expresses “natural selection eliminates the unfit”.This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: you sheng lie tai, you sheng lie tai,优胜劣汰 meaning, 优胜劣汰 in english
Pronunciation: yōu shèng liè tài Literal meaning: Superior wins inferior eliminated
Origin & Usage
This evolutionary idiom describes how the superior (优) survives (胜) while the inferior (劣) is eliminated (汰), entering Chinese discourse during the late Qing Dynasty through translations of Herbert Spencer's social Darwinism. It gained prominence during early Republican-era modernization movements as reformers applied natural selection concepts to social development. The biological metaphor resonated deeply during China's confrontation with industrial powers, offering an explanatory framework for international competition. Modern usage spans business competition to technological evolution, describing how environmental pressures naturally select superior adaptations.
When to Use
Situation: The competitive market naturally forced inefficient companies into bankruptcy
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Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
出神入化
chū shén rù huà
Reach supernatural skill level
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千里迢迢
qiān lǐ tiáo tiáo
Travel a great distance
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民富国强
mín fù guó qiáng
Prosperous people and powerful nation
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国泰民安
guó tài mín ān
National peace and public security
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太平盛世
tài píng shèng shì
Golden age of peace and prosperity
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四海升平
sì hǎi shēng píng
Peace everywhere; universal harmony
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安土重迁
ān tǔ zhòng qiān
Prefer stability; reluctant to relocate
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故土难离
gù tǔ nán lí
Hard to leave one's homeland
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 优胜劣汰 mean in English?
优胜劣汰 (yōu shèng liè tài) literally translates to “Superior wins inferior eliminated”and is used to express “Natural selection eliminates the unfit”. This Chinese idiom belongs to theLife Philosophy category..
When is 优胜劣汰 used?
Situation: The competitive market naturally forced inefficient companies into bankruptcy
What is the pinyin for 优胜劣汰?
The pinyin pronunciation for 优胜劣汰 is “yōu shèng liè tài”.