后来居上 hòulái jū shàng later surpasses the former

Explanation

后来的超过先前的，比喻后来者超过前面的人，多用于赞扬后起之秀。

Later surpasses the former. It is a metaphor for the latecomers surpassing the previous ones, often used to praise the rising stars.

Origin Story

汉武帝时期，有一个名叫汲黯的官员，以正直敢言著称。他多次直言进谏，触怒了汉武帝，被贬官到偏远地区。然而，他在东海郡任职期间政绩显著，深得百姓爱戴，汉武帝不得不将他召回朝廷。但汲黯的性格依然刚正不阿，依然直言进谏，再次触怒了汉武帝，最终再次被冷落。汲黯感叹道："陛下用人，如积薪耳，后来者居上。"这句感叹，后来就成为了成语"后来居上"的出处，形容后来的人才超过先前的人才，也用来比喻后来者居功，成就高于前人。汲黯的故事体现了人才辈出的时代，也体现了君王的用人理念，更体现了汲黯正直敢言的性格。

hàn wǔ dì shíqī, yǒu yīgè míng jiào jí àn de guān yuán, yǐ zhèng zhí gǎn yán zhù chēng. tā duō cì zhí yán jìn jiàn, chù nù le hàn wǔ dì, bèi biǎn guān dào piānyuǎn dìqū. rán'ér, tā zài dōng hǎi jùn rèn zhí qī jiān zhèng jì xiǎn zhù, shēn dé bǎixìng àidài, hàn wǔ dì bù dé bù jiāng tā zhào huí cháoting. dàn jí àn de xìnggé yīrán gāng zhèng bù'ē, yīrán zhí yán jìn jiàn, zàicì chù nù le hàn wǔ dì, zuìzhōng zàicì bèi lěng luò. jí àn tàn gǎn dào: "bìxià yòng rén, rú jī xīn ěr, hòulái zhě jū shàng." zhè jù tàn gǎn, hòulái jiù chéng le chéngyǔ "hòulái jū shàng" de chū chù, xíngróng hòulái de rén cái chāoguò xiānqián de rén cái, yě yòng lái bǐyù hòulái zhě jū gōng, chéngjiù gāo yú qián rén. jí àn de gùshì tǐxiàn le rén cái bèi chū de shídài, yě tǐxiàn le jūn wáng de yòng rén lǐniǎn, gèng tǐxiàn le jí àn zhèng zhí gǎn yán de xìnggé.

During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, there was an official named Ji An, known for his integrity and outspokenness. He repeatedly spoke out against the emperor, angering him and leading to his exile to a remote region. However, during his tenure in Donghai County, he achieved remarkable results and gained the love of the people, forcing the emperor to recall him to the court. But Ji An's personality remained unyielding, and he continued to speak his mind, angering the emperor once more and ultimately leading to his neglect. Ji An sighed: "Your Majesty uses people like stacking firewood, the later ones are on top." This sigh became the origin of the idiom "hòulái jū shàng", which describes how later talents surpass their predecessors, and also illustrates how latecomers achieve more than those who came before. Ji An's story reflects the abundance of talent during that time, the emperor's approach to employing people, and Ji An's upright and outspoken nature.

Usage

这个成语用来形容后来的人或事物超过先前的人或事物，多用于褒义，也可用作贬义，表示后来的不如先前的。

zhège chéngyǔ yòng lái xíngróng hòulái de rén huò shìwù chāoguò xiānqián de rén huò shìwù, duō yòng yú bāoyì, yě kě yòng zuò biǎnyì, biǎoshì hòulái de bùrú xiānqián de.

This idiom is used to describe how later people or things surpass previous ones, mostly in a positive sense, but it can also be used negatively to indicate that later things are inferior to earlier ones.

Examples

  • 这家公司后来居上，成为行业领导者。

    zhè jiā gōngsī hòulái jū shàng, chéngwéi hángyè lǐngdǎozhě.

    This company has risen to the top and become an industry leader.

  • 他的书法造诣后来居上，青出于蓝而胜于蓝。

    tā de shūfā zàoyì hòulái jū shàng, qīng chū yú lán ér shèng yú lán

    His calligraphy skills have surpassed his teacher's and improved greatly over time.

Related Idioms

  • 青出于蓝

  • 后来者居上

Opposite Idioms

  • 江河日下

  • 每况愈下