独辟蹊径 (dú pì xī jìng) — to blaze a new trail; to pioneer a unique approach

Definition

Idiom praising someone for doing something in a fresh, original way rather than following the usual method. Similar in meaning to 标新立异, but 独辟蹊径 emphasizes blazing one's own workable path, while 标新立异 focuses on being novel for its own sake.

idiom
to blaze a new trailto pioneer a unique approach

Examples

  • 独辟蹊径，。
    Tā zài jiào yù lǐng yù dú pì xī jìng, chuàng bàn le yì suǒ xīn xíng xué xiào.
    He blazed a new trail in education by founding a new type of school.
  • 独辟蹊径，。
    Zhè wèi kē xué jiā dú pì xī jìng, yòng kuà xué kē de fāng fǎ jiě jué le nà ge nán tí.
    This scientist took a unique approach and solved that difficult problem with an interdisciplinary method.
  • 独辟蹊径，。
    Nà wèi dǎo yǎn zài biǎo xiàn shǒu fǎ shàng dú pì xī jìng, huò dé le guān zhòng de yí zhì hǎo píng.
    That director pioneered a new style in his expressive technique and won unanimous praise from the audience.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

独辟open alone
独dúalone辟pìopen
偏正Modifier + head
蹊径paths
蹊qīpath径jìngpath
联合Side by side

独辟 suggests opening alone, and 蹊径 are paths, giving the image of blazing a trail.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 獨; 独 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犭Written in full as犬quǎn
Sound part声符shēngfú
蜀
蜀shǔ獨dú
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 獨 pairs 犬 (dog) with 蜀, which gives the sound; the simplified 独 is a shorthand.

Open 独 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 卩卩jiékneeling person
  • 䇂䇂䇂sickle-like tool

The early form of 辟 pairs a kneeling person 卩 with a sickle-like tool 䇂, for administering, regulating, or punishing.

Open 辟 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 徑; 径 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
彳彳chì
Sound part声符shēngfú
巠
巠jīng徑
Same sound today

The traditional form 徑 is built from 彳 and 巠, with 巠 giving the sound; the simplified 径 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 径 →

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