点石成金 (diǎn shí chéng jīn) — (idiom) to turn something ordinary or inferior into something excellent (of writing, art, skills)

Definition

Examples

• 他修改后的文章简直就是点石成金，从平淡变成了经典。
  Tā xiū gǎi hòu de wén zhāng jiǎn zhí jiù shì diǎn shí chéng jīn, cóng píng dàn biàn chéng le jīng diǎn.
  The article he revised is simply turning stone into gold — it went from bland to classic.
• 这位老师善于点石成金，能把最普通的学生教成优秀的人才。
  Zhè wèi lǎo shī shàn yú diǎn shí chéng jīn, néng bǎ zuì pǔ tōng de xué shēng jiào chéng yōu xiù de rén cái.
  This teacher is skilled at turning stone into gold — able to teach even the most ordinary students into outstanding talents.
• 经过他的改造，那家老店焕然一新，真是点石成金。
  Jīng guò tā de gǎi zào, nà jiā lǎo diàn huàn rán yì xīn, zhēn shì diǎn shí chéng jīn.
  After his renovation, that old shop took on a completely new look — truly turning stone into gold.