每天成语
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略胜一筹

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: lüè shèng yī chóu
  • English Translation: Slightly better / A cut above (one tally ahead)
  • Idiom Composition: 「略」（Slightly or briefly (as in 略微 - lüè wēi)）＋「胜」（To surpass, excel, or win）＋「一」（One）＋「筹」（A tally or counting stick used in ancient China for calculations or keeping score in games）
  • Meaning: To be slightly superior to another when comparing two things. It refers to a state where one side is better by a narrow margin rather than an overwhelming difference, typically used as a positive evaluation of ability, skill, strategy, or quality.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「略胜一筹」 contains the following nuances:

  • The Original Meaning of 'Chou' (筹): 筹 (chóu) refers to the bamboo sticks used for calculation or scoring in ancient games. Having 'one more tally' (一筹 - yī chóu) visually represents winning by a very small margin.
  • Emphasis on a Narrow Margin: As indicated by the word 略 (lüè), which means 'slightly,' this idiom emphasizes a small difference between two closely matched sides. It is not used when there is a massive gap in ability.

3. Usage

「略胜一筹」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Comparison of Skills or Ability: Used in sports, games, or professional skills to objectively or modestly state that one's skill is slightly higher than a rival's.
    • Example:「虽然两队的实力都很强，但主队在配合上略胜一筹。」
      （Although both teams are very strong, the home team is a cut above in terms of coordination.)
  • Evaluation of Strategies or Plans: Commonly used in business or debates to compare multiple proposals and judge which one is more effective.
    • Example:「经过激烈的讨论，大家认为方案B在成本控制方面略胜一筹。」
      （After intense discussion, everyone agreed that Plan B was slightly better regarding cost control.)
  • Comparison of Products or Quality: Useful for reviewing similar products to point out where one excels in a specific feature or design.
    • Example:「这两款手机性能差不多，但在拍照效果上，新款略胜一筹。」
      （These two smartphones have similar performance, but the new model is slightly superior in photo quality.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 论口才，他确实比对手略胜一筹。
    （In terms of eloquence, he is indeed a notch higher than his opponent.）
  2. 这家餐厅的服务虽然不错，但隔壁那家的味道略胜一筹。
    （The service at this restaurant is good, but the neighbor's place is slightly better when it comes to taste.）
  3. 在处理突发事件的能力上，老员工显然略胜一筹。
    （In terms of handling emergencies, veteran employees clearly have a slight edge.）
  4. 这次比赛竞争非常激烈，冠军仅以微弱优势略胜一筹。
    （The competition was very intense, and the champion won by a narrow margin.）
  5. 虽然他是新手，但在创意方面却比很多前辈略胜一筹。
    （Although he is a newcomer, he is slightly superior to many seniors in terms of creativity.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Origin: The term 筹 (chóu) refers to ancient Chinese counting sticks or tallies used to keep score during drinking games like Pitch-pot (投壶 - tóu hú). Winning by 'one tally' implies a very close victory.
  • Nuance: While similar to 技高一筹 (jì gāo yī chóu), which focuses specifically on skills, 略胜一筹 (lüè shèng yī chóu) is more versatile and can describe quality, strategy, or overall situations.
  • Literary Source: It appears in the Qing Dynasty (清朝) short story collection Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (聊斋志异 - Liáozhāi Zhìyì) by Pu Songling (蒲松龄) in the story 'Xin Shisi Niang' (辛十四娘).

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

略胜一筹 (lüè shèng yī chóu) is an idiom used to describe one party being "slightly superior" when comparing two entities. Originating from the use of ancient counting sticks or tallies (筹 - chóu), it is ideal for describing situations where the competition is close, but one side has a slight edge. It is widely used in business, sports, and product comparisons.

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Level 1

Idiom Essay

lüè shèng yī chóu
略胜一筹
Slightly Superior
shēng huó生活zhōng中chōng mǎn充满le了bǐ jiào比较。

Life is full of comparisons.

yǒu shí hòu有时候，liǎng yàng两样dōng xī东西de的chā bié差别hěn很dà大，yī yǎn一眼jiù就néng能kàn看chū lái出来shuí谁hǎo好shuí谁huài坏。

Sometimes, the difference between two things is so large that it is obvious at a glance which is better.

dàn但gèng更duō多shí hòu时候，wǒ men我们miàn duì面对de的shì是liǎng两gè个dōu都hěn很yōu xiù优秀de的xuǎn zé选择，huò zhě或者liǎng两gè个shí lì实力xiāng dāng相当de的duì shǒu对手。

But more often, we face two excellent choices or two opponents of equal strength.

bǐ rú比如liǎng míng两名gāo高shuǐ píng水平de的qí shǒu棋手duì yì对弈，huò zhě或者liǎng kuǎn两款xìng néng性能dōu都hěn很bàng棒de的shǒu jī手机。

For example, two high-level chess players competing, or two smartphones with great performance.

zhè shí hòu这时候，rú guǒ如果fēi yào非要fēn chū分出gāo xià高下，gāi该zěn me shuō ne怎么说呢？

At this time, if you must distinguish between them, how should you say it?

zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个fēi cháng非常jīng zhǔn精准de的chéng yǔ成语，jiào叫“lüè shèng yī chóu略胜一筹”。

In Chinese, there is a very precise idiom called 略胜一筹.

zhè ge这个cí词de的huà miàn gǎn画面感hěn很qiáng强，tā它cáng藏zhe着yī duàn一段gǔ lǎo古老de的shēng huó生活xí guàn习惯。

This word has a strong sense of imagery, hiding an ancient lifestyle habit.

“chóu筹”，shì是gǔ rén古人yòng lái用来jì shù计数huò zhě或者jì fēn记分de的xiǎo小gùn zi棍子，jiù就xiàng像xiàn zài现在de的chóu mǎ筹码。

筹 refers to small sticks used by ancient people for counting or scoring, much like modern chips.

nǐ你kě yǐ可以xiǎng xiàng想象zhè yàng这样yí gè一个chǎng jǐng场景：bǐ sài比赛jié shù结束le了，liǎng两gè rén个人shǒu lǐ手里de的chóu mǎ筹码duī堆dé得jī hū几乎yī yàng一样gāo高，hěn很nán难yī yǎn一眼kàn chū看出shuí谁yíng赢le了。

You can imagine a scene: the game is over, and the chips in the hands of two people are piled almost equally high, making it hard to see who won.

zǐ xì仔细shù yī shù数一数cái才fā xiàn发现，qí zhōng其中yí gè一个rén人，zhǐ只bǐ比lìng另yí gè一个rén人duō多chū出le了nà那yī gēn一根“chóu筹”。

Only after counting carefully do you find that one person has only one more 筹 than the other.

zhè这jiù shì就是“lüè shèng yī chóu略胜一筹”de的yì si意思：bǐ jiào比较qǐ lái起来，zhǐ shì只是shāo wēi稍微hǎo好nà me那么yì diǎn diǎn一点点。

This is the meaning of 略胜一筹: when compared, it is just slightly better by a tiny bit.

wǒ我jué de觉得zhè ge这个cí词hěn很yǒu有fēn cùn分寸gǎn感。

I think this word has a great sense of proportion.

tā它bù不xiàng像“dà huò quán shèng大获全胜”nà yàng那样，qiáng diào强调yā dǎo xìng压倒性de的yōu shì优势；xiāng fǎn相反，tā它qí shí其实shì是zài在chéng rèn承认duì shǒu对手de的shí lì实力。

It is not like 大获全胜, which emphasizes an overwhelming advantage; instead, it actually acknowledges the opponent's strength.

dāng当wǒ men我们shuō说yī fāng一方“lüè shèng yī chóu略胜一筹”shí时，qián tái cí潜台词shì是：nǐ men你们dōu都hěn很bàng棒，chā jù差距fēi cháng非常xiǎo小。

When we say one side is 略胜一筹, the subtext is: you are both great, and the gap is very small.

zhè zhǒng这种chā jù差距，wǎng wǎng往往bú shì不是yīn wèi因为néng lì能力de的tiān rǎng zhī bié天壤之别，ér shì而是zài yú在于xì jié细节。

This gap is often not because of a world of difference in ability, but lies in the details.

yě xǔ也许shì是jīng yàn经验gèng更fēng fù丰富yì diǎn一点，yě xǔ也许shì是xīn tài心态gèng更wěn稳yì diǎn一点，huò zhě或者jǐn jǐn仅仅shì是yùn qì运气hǎo好le了yì diǎn一点。

Perhaps it is a bit more experience, a slightly steadier mindset, or just a bit of luck.

suǒ yǐ所以，zhè ge这个chéng yǔ成语wǎng wǎng往往dài带zhe着yī zhǒng一种kè guān客观、shèn zhì甚至xīn shǎng欣赏de的tài dù态度。

Therefore, this idiom often carries an objective or even appreciative attitude.

tā它tí xǐng提醒wǒ men我们，zài在hěn duō很多gāo高shuǐ píng水平de的jiào liàng较量zhōng中，jué dìng决定shèng fù胜负de的，wǎng wǎng往往jiù shì就是nà那yì diǎn diǎn一点点wēi xiǎo微小de的chā bié差别。

It reminds us that in many high-level contests, what determines victory or defeat is often that tiny difference.

xià cì下次，dāng当nǐ你miàn duì面对liǎng两gè个shì jūn lì dí势均力敌de的duì shǒu对手，fā xiàn发现qí zhōng其中yī fāng一方yīn wèi因为yí gè一个xiǎo xiǎo小小de的yōu shì优势ér而yíng赢le了de的shí hòu时候，nǐ你jiù就zhī dào知道gāi该yòng用nǎ ge哪个cí词le了——tā他bú shì不是yíng赢zài在quán bù全部，tā他zhǐ shì只是“lüè shèng yī chóu略胜一筹”。

Next time, when you face two well-matched opponents and find that one side won because of a small advantage, you will know which word to use—he didn't win in everything, he was just 略胜一筹.

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