脱颖而出

• Pinyin: tuō yǐng ér chū
• Hanzi breakdown: 脱 = 月 (flesh) + 兑 (shed); 颖 = 禾 (grain stalk) + 页 (head) — the tip of a grain ear; 而 = conjunction; 出 = foot stepping out

Meaning

To stand out from the crowd; to emerge as the best. Distinguishing oneself and rising above others through ability.

A celebrated four-character idiom (成语). The image is of an awl tip breaking through a bag — if you are truly talented, your ability will show itself naturally, like a sharp point pushing through cloth. Used to describe rising star employees, competition winners, outstanding students. Always positive in connotation.

Examples

1. 在数千名应聘者中，她凭借出色的技术能力脱颖而出。 Among thousands of applicants, she stood out thanks to her exceptional technical ability.
2. 这位年轻设计师凭借独特的风格在行业内脱颖而出。 This young designer has emerged as a standout in the industry with her distinctive style.
3. 他通过不断努力，终于在激烈的竞争中脱颖而出，获得晋升机会。 Through relentless effort, he finally distinguished himself in the fierce competition and won a promotion opportunity.

Usage Guide

Context: professional, academic, competition

Tone: positive, admiring

Do Say

• 他的创意方案在众多提案中脱颖而出，深受客户赞赏。(His creative proposal stood out among the many submissions and received high praise from the client.)
• 想要在职场中脱颖而出，光靠努力还不够，还需要持续学习。(To stand out in the workplace, hard work alone isn't enough — continuous learning is also essential.)

Don't Say

• 把普通的进步描述为'脱颖而出' (脱颖而出 implies standing out distinctly above one's peers, not merely making progress — use 进步 or 提升 for ordinary improvement)

Origin & History

成语 from 史记 (Records of the Grand Historian). 平原君 said of 毛遂 that a truly talented man in a crowd is like an awl in a bag — the tip will inevitably poke through. 颖 = the tip of an awl.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical idiom from 史记

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal