胜人一筹 (shèng rén yì chóu) — to be a cut above others, to have an edge over someone

Definition

A set phrase meaning 'to be a cut above others' — used to praise someone for being slightly better than peers in ability, skill, or performance. Stronger than a simple 更好, with a tone of clear superiority.

idiom
to be a cut above othersto have an edge over someone

Examples

  • 胜人一筹，。
    Tā de néng lì shèng rén yì chóu, hěn kuài jiù dé dào le jìn shēng.
    His abilities were a cut above others, and he got promoted quickly.
  • 胜人一筹，。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī de jì shù shèng rén yì chóu, zài shì chǎng shàng hěn yǒu jìng zhēng lì.
    This company's technology has an edge over others, making it very competitive in the market.
  • ，胜人一筹，。
    Zài bǐ sài zhōng, tā shèng rén yì chóu, yíng dé le guàn jūn.
    In the competition, she was a cut above the rest and won the championship.

Origin

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
生
生shēng胜shèng
Same sound today

The simplified 胜 changes the traditional 勝 by replacing part of its sound side with 生; the left 肉 relates to meat.

Open 胜 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Open 人 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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 籌; 筹 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
壽
壽shòu籌chóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 籌 has 竹 (bamboo) on top and 壽 below as the sound part; the simplified 筹 is a later shorthand.

Open 筹 →

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