物竞天择 (wù jìng tiān zé) — natural selection; survival of the fittest (as a biological principle); competition where only the strongest or most adaptable survive (extended metaphorical use)
Definition
Chengyu meaning 'natural selection / survival of the fittest', originally a biological principle from 严复's translation of Darwin. Often extended metaphorically to any competitive arena (markets, exams) where only the fittest survive.
idiom
natural selectionsurvival of the fittest (as a biological principle)competition where only the strongest or most adaptable survive (extended metaphorical use)
Examples
- ，物竞天择。Zài jī liè de shì chǎng jìng zhēng zhōng, wù jìng tiān zé de fǎ zé wú chù bú zài.In fierce market competition, the principle of survival of the fittest is everywhere.
- 物竞天择。wù jìng tiān zé Shì zì rán jiè jī běn de guī lǜ zhī yī.Natural selection is one of the fundamental laws of the natural world.
- 物竞天择，。Zhè chǎng kǎo shì jiù xiàng wù jìng tiān zé de suō yǐng, zhǐ yǒu zuì nǔ lì de rén cái néng tōng guò.This exam is like a microcosm of survival of the fittest: only the hardest-working can pass.
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