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适者生存 (shì zhě shēng cún) — survival of the fittest

Definition

Idiom from evolutionary biology meaning 'survival of the fittest' — used literally for natural selection and, by extension, in competitive fields like business or industry.

idiom
survival of the fittest

Examples

  • ，适者生存。
    Zài jī liè de shì chǎng jìng zhēng zhōng, shì zhě shēng cún shì yì tiáo bú biàn de fǎ zé.
    In fierce market competition, survival of the fittest is an unchanging rule.
  • 适者生存。
    Dá ěr wén de jìn huà lùn hé xīn jiù shì shì zhě shēng cún.
    The core of Darwin's theory of evolution is survival of the fittest.
  • ，适者生存。
    Zhè ge háng yè táo tài lǜ hěn gāo, zhēn zhèng tǐ xiàn le shì zhě shēng cún.
    This industry has a very high elimination rate, truly reflecting survival of the fittest.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 適; 适 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
啻
啻chì適shì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 適 pairs 辶 (walking) with a sound part; its inner part was originally 啻 and was stylized into 啇. The simplified 适 is a later variant.

Open 适 →

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

The form 者 originally drew a sugarcane with full stems, small points around it, and an open smiling mouth at the bottom.

Open 者 →

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

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

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
子子zǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
才
才cái存cún
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

存 pairs 子 with 才, which was used for the sound.

Open 存 →
Appears in
BiologyIdioms & Set Phrases

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