后来居上 (hòu lái jū shàng) — (idiom) the latecomers surpass the old-timers; the later ones outdo the earlier ones
Definition
A chengyu describing later arrivals who surpass those who came first — often used to praise newcomers (a company, a generation, a student) overtaking established ones. Read as a single fixed phrase, not parsed word by word.
idiom
the latecomers surpass the old-timersthe later ones outdo the earlier ones
Examples
- 后来居上，。Zhè jiā xīn gōng sī hòu lái jū shàng, hěn kuài jiù chāo guò le lǎo pái qǐ yè.This new company, with latecomers surpassing the old-timers, quickly overtook the established enterprises.
- ，后来居上，。Zài xué xí shàng, tā hòu lái jū shàng, cóng zuì hòu yì míng biàn chéng le dì yī míng.In studies, he surpassed those who started earlier, going from last place to first.
- 后来居上，。Nián qīng yí dài hòu lái jū shàng, zhè shì shè huì fā zhǎn de guī lǜ.The younger generation surpasses the older — this is a law of social development.
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