每天成语
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百里挑一

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

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: bǎi lǐ tiāo yī
  • English Translation: One in a hundred (the cream of the crop)
  • Idiom Composition: 「百」（Hundred (symbolizing a large quantity)）＋「里」（Among or within）＋「挑」（To pick or select）＋「一」（One (representing the single best choice)）
  • Meaning: To be one in a hundred; describing someone or something that is exceptionally outstanding and selected from a large group.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「百里挑一」 contains the following nuances:

  • Rarity and Excellence: This idiom implies more than just being rare; it emphasizes that the subject has been 'chosen' because of its high quality. It is often used in the context of highly competitive selections.
  • Relative Comparison: Rather than an absolute standard, it emphasizes how the subject towers over the surrounding crowd (the 'hundred').

3. Usage

「百里挑一」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Evaluating People: Used to praise someone whose skills, looks, or character are far above average. It is common in recruitment or when describing a perfect partner.
    • Example:「她是百里挑一的美女，不仅长得漂亮，性格也很温柔。」
      （She is one in a hundred; not only is she beautiful, but she also has a very gentle personality.)
  • Product Quality: Used to highlight that items have undergone rigorous selection and represent the highest quality.
    • Example:「这些苹果都是经过严格筛选，个个百里挑一。」
      （These apples have all been strictly screened; every single one is the cream of the crop.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 要想在这次比赛中获胜，必须是百里挑一的高手。
    （To win this competition, you must be a top-tier expert.）
  2. 这家公司招聘非常严格，录用的员工都是百里挑一的人才。
    （This company's recruitment is very strict; the employees they hire are all elite talents.）
  3. 能找到像他这样百里挑一的好女婿，真是你们家的福气。
    （You are truly lucky to find such an exceptional son-in-law like him.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • This idiom appears in the classic novel Dream of the Red Chamber (红楼梦). It was used to praise the appearance and character of key figures like Xue Baochai (薛宝钗).
  • In Chinese culture, numbers are often used figuratively. While 百 (bǎi) means 'hundred,' it represents a vast group. To express even higher levels of rarity, the phrases 千里挑一 (qiān lǐ tiāo yī) for 'one in a thousand' and 万里挑一 (wàn lǐ tiāo yī) for 'one in ten thousand' are used to increase the degree of praise.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

百里挑一 (bǎi lǐ tiāo yī) is a complimentary expression used to describe a person or object that stands out as the very best among many candidates. It is frequently used to praise someone's exceptional talent, appearance, or the superior quality of a product. While 百 (bǎi) literally means 'hundred,' it symbolizes a large number. To emphasize even greater rarity, one might use 千里挑一 (qiān lǐ tiāo yī) or 万里挑一 (wàn lǐ tiāo yī).

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

Idiom Essay

bǎi lǐ tiāo yī
百里挑一
One in a hundred
wǒ men我们shēng huó生活zhōng中cháng yǒu常有zhè yàng这样de的shí kè时刻：nǐ你zài在xún zhǎo寻找yī yàng一样dōng xī东西，huò zhě或者shì是děng dài等待yí gè一个rén人。

There are often moments in our lives when you are looking for something or waiting for someone.

yǎn qián眼前shǎn guò闪过le了hěn很duō多xuǎn zé选择，yǒu有de的hái还kě yǐ可以，yǒu有de的yě也bù cuò不错，dàn但xīn lǐ心里zǒng总jué de觉得shǎo少le了diǎn点shén me什么，bù gòu不够tè bié特别。

Many choices flash before your eyes; some are okay, others are not bad, but your heart always feels something is missing, that it is not special enough.

zhí dào直到nà ge那个zuì最duì对de的xuǎn xiàng选项chū xiàn出现，nǐ你yǎn qián yī liàng眼前一亮，xīn lǐ心里de的yóu yù犹豫yī xià zi一下子xiāo shī消失le了。

Until the right option appears, your eyes light up, and the hesitation in your heart suddenly vanishes.

zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个chéng yǔ成语zhuān mén专门xíng róng形容zhè zhǒng这种jí qí极其chū zhòng出众、hěn很nán难yù dào遇到de的zhuàng tài状态，jiào叫“bǎi lǐ tiāo yī百里挑一”。

In Chinese, there is an idiom specifically used to describe this extremely outstanding and rare state, called 百里挑一.

zì miàn字面shàng上kàn看，tā它de的yì si意思hěn很jiǎn dān简单：zài在yì bǎi gè一百个lǐ miàn里面，zhǐ只tiāo挑chū出le了zhè这yí gè一个。

Literally, its meaning is simple: out of a hundred, only this one is selected.

dàn但qǐng请zhù yì注意，zhè lǐ这里de的“yì bǎi一百”，bìng并bú shì不是zhēn de真的ràng让nǐ你qù去shǔ shù数数。

But please note, the 百 here does not literally mean you have to count.

tā它dài biǎo代表de的shì是yī zhǒng一种“shù liàng数量páng dà庞大de的pǔ tōng普通”。

It represents a 'vast quantity of the ordinary.'

dāng当wǒ men我们shuō说yí gè一个rén人huò或yī jiàn一件dōng xī东西shì是“bǎi lǐ tiāo yī百里挑一”de的shí hòu时候，wǒ men我们qí shí其实shì是zài在zuò做liǎng jiàn两件shì事。

When we say a person or a thing is 百里挑一, we are actually doing two things.

dì yī第一，wǒ men我们chéng rèn承认le了zhōu wéi周围yǒu有hěn duō很多qí tā其他de的xuǎn zé选择；dì èr第二，wǒ men我们zài在zhè me这么duō多de的gān rǎo干扰zhōng中，yī rán依然yī yǎn一眼rèn chū认出le了tā它de的dú tè独特。

First, we acknowledge that there are many other choices around; second, amidst so many distractions, we still recognize its uniqueness at a glance.

zhè ge这个cí词cháng常bèi被yòng lái用来xíng róng形容yōu xiù优秀de的rén cái人才，huò zhě或者lìng rén mǎn yì令人满意de的bàn lǚ伴侣。

This term is often used to describe excellent talents or a satisfying partner.

bǐ rú比如，yī jiā一家gōng sī公司miàn shì面试le了hěn很duō多rén人，zuì hòu最后zhǐ只lù yòng录用le了yī wèi一位；huò zhě或者nǐ你zài在máng máng rén hǎi茫茫人海zhōng中，zhōng yú终于yù dào遇到le了nà ge那个dǒng懂nǐ你de的rén人。

For example, a company interviews many people and finally hires only one; or in a vast crowd, you finally meet the person who understands you.

zhè zhǒng这种“hǎo好”，bú shì不是yīn wèi因为bié wú xuǎn zé别无选择ér而miǎn qiǎng勉强jiē shòu接受，ér shì而是jīng guò经过le了bǐ jiào比较zhī hòu之后de的jiān dìng坚定què xìn确信。

This kind of 'goodness' is not a reluctant acceptance because there were no other choices, but a firm conviction after comparison.

suǒ yǐ所以，“bǎi lǐ tiāo yī百里挑一”zhè ge这个cí词，tīng qǐ lái听起来shì是zài在tán lùn谈论gài lǜ概率，qí shí其实shì是zài在tán lùn谈论zhēn xī珍惜。

Therefore, the term 百里挑一 sounds like it is talking about probability, but it is actually talking about cherishing.

yīn wèi因为zhī dào知道tā它nán dé难得，suǒ yǐ所以cái才jué de觉得zhēn guì珍贵。

Because we know it is hard to come by, we feel it is precious.

xià cì下次，rú guǒ如果nǐ你tīng dào听到yǒu rén有人yòng用“bǎi lǐ tiāo yī百里挑一”lái来xíng róng形容nǐ你，huò zhě或者xíng róng形容mǒu某yàng样dōng xī东西，qǐng请jì de记得，zhè这bù jǐn jǐn不仅仅shì是kuā jiǎng夸奖yōu xiù优秀，gèng shì更是zài在shuō说：zài在duì fāng对方yǎn zhōng眼中，zhè这shì是nà ge那个wú kě无可tì dài替代de的lì wài例外。

Next time, if you hear someone use 百里挑一 to describe you or something, please remember that this is not just praising excellence, but saying: in their eyes, this is that irreplaceable exception.

'造句' Feature Usage Guide

造句练习📝

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