黯然失色 (àn rán shī sè) — to be overshadowed, to pale in comparison

Definition

Literary idiom meaning something is so much weaker or duller next to its comparison that it loses its luster — 'to pale in comparison.' Used in writing, not everyday speech.

idiom

to be overshadowedto pale in comparison

Examples

，黯然失色。
Yǔ zhè fú míng huà xiāng bǐ, qí tā zuò pǐn dōu àn rán shī sè le.
Compared with this famous painting, all other works pale in comparison.
黯然失色。
Tā de gē shēng ràng suǒ yǒu cān sài zhě àn rán shī sè.
Her singing overshadowed all the other contestants.
，黯然失色。
Zài zhè ge tuán duì lǐ, tā de néng lì shǐ qí tā rén àn rán shī sè.
In this team, his abilities make others seem inferior in comparison.

Origin

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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

火火huǒfire

Sound part声符shēngfú

肰

肰rán然rán

Same sound today

然 is made from 肰, which gives the sound, and 火, which shows fire, matching the old sense 'to burn'.

Open 然 →

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

手手shǒu
乙乙yǐ

The shape is explained as a fallen person's footprint surrounded by drops of blood; another reading pairs 手 (hand) and 乙 to show something falling from a hand.

Open 失 →

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