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超凡脱俗 (chāo fán tuō sú) — to transcend the mundane and stand aloof from vulgarity; outstanding and unworldly; otherworldly; (of art, character, etc.) supremely refined and unconventional

Definition

Idiom praising someone or something (art, character) as refined and far above the ordinary world. Use for elevated, almost otherworldly quality — stronger and more literary than plain 优秀.

idiom
to transcend the mundane and stand aloof from vulgarityoutstanding and unworldlyotherworldly(of art, character, etc.) supremely refined and unconventional

Examples

  • 超凡脱俗，。
    Tā de huà fēng chāo fán tuō sú, lìng rén tàn wéi guān zhǐ.
    Her painting style transcends the mundane — people gasp in admiration.
  • 超凡脱俗，。
    Zhè ge xué zhě de pǐn gé chāo fán tuō sú, cóng bù zhuī zhú míng lì.
    This scholar's character is beyond worldly concerns; he never chases fame or fortune.
  • 超凡脱俗。
    Nà shǒu qǔ zi gěi tīng zhòng yì zhǒng chāo fán tuō sú de gǎn jué.
    That piece of music gives the audience a feeling of otherworldly transcendence.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

超凡transcend the ordinary
超chāotranscend凡fánordinary
动宾Verb + object
脱俗shed vulgarity
脱tuōshed俗súvulgarity
动宾Verb + object

超凡 rises above the ordinary, 脱俗 sheds vulgarity, so otherworldly.

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
走走zǒurun
Sound part声符shēngfú
召
召zhào超chāo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

超 pairs 走, meaning “run,” with 召, which gives the sound.

Open 超 →

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

Open 凡 →

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 脫; 脱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròu
Sound part声符shēngfú
兌
兌duì脫tuō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 脫 puts ⺼ (meat) beside 兌, which gives the sound; the simplified 脱 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 脱 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
谷
谷gǔ俗sú
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

俗 is built from 亻, a person, and 谷, which gives the sound; it refers to customs of people.

Open 俗 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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