他山之石可以攻玉 tā shān zhī shí kě yǐ gōng yù

use others' advice to improve yourself

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. lit. the other mountain's stone can polish jade (idiom); to improve oneself by accepting criticism from outside
  2. 2. to borrow talent from abroad to develop the nation effectively

Characters

Character Meaning
他 tā HSK 1
he or him
山 shān HSK 3
mountain; hill; anything that resembles a mountain
之 zhī HSK 4
(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的de); it
石 shí HSK 5
stone; rock; surname Shi
可 kě HSK 2
can; may; able to
以 yǐ HSK 2
to use; by means of; according to
攻 gōng HSK 6
to attack; to study; to accuse
玉 yù HSK 5
jade