优胜劣汰 (yōu shèng liè tài) — survival of the fittest (idiom)
Definition
A four-character idiom (chengyu) for 'survival of the fittest' — literally 'the superior win, the inferior are eliminated.' Used in formal writing on competition, evolution, and markets.
phrase
survival of the fittest (idiom)
Examples
- ，优胜劣汰。Zài jī liè de shì chǎng jìng zhēng zhōng, yōu shèng liè tài shì bù kě bì miǎn de.In fierce market competition, survival of the fittest is unavoidable.
- 优胜劣汰，。Tǐ yù jìng jì zūn xún yōu shèng liè tài de fǎ zé, zhǐ yǒu zuì qiáng zhě cái néng duó guàn.Sports competition follows the law of survival of the fittest; only the strongest can win the championship.
- 优胜劣汰，。Kē jì háng yè yōu shèng liè tài, bú chuàng xīn jiù huì bèi táo tài.In the tech industry it's survival of the fittest — if you don't innovate, you'll be eliminated.
Origin
Compound word构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side
Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.
优 points to the superior, 胜 to winning, 劣 to the inferior, and 汰 to elimination, together expressing survival of the fittest.
Appears in
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