青出於藍，而青於藍

See also: 青出于蓝，而青于蓝

Chinese

		green (blue, black); Qinghai province (abbrev.)	to go out; to come out; to occur to go out; to come out; to occur; to produce; to go beyond; to rise; to put forth; to happen; (a measure word for dramas, plays, or operas)	in; at; to in; at; to; from; by; than; out of; surname	blue; indigo plant; surname		and; as well as; but (not) and; as well as; but (not); yet (not); (shows causal relation); (shows change of state); (shows contrast)	green (blue, black); Qinghai province (abbrev.)	in; at; to in; at; to; from; by; than; out of; surname	blue; indigo plant; surname
trad. (青出於藍，而青於藍)		青	出	於	藍	，	而	青	於	藍
simp. (青出于蓝，而青于蓝)		青	出	于	蓝	，	而	青	于	蓝
Literally: “the color blue is made out of indigo, but is more vivid than indigo”.

Etymology

From Xunzi:

君子曰：學不可以已。青，取之於藍，而青於藍；冰，水為之，而寒於水。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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君子曰：学不可以已。青，取之于蓝，而青于蓝；冰，水为之，而寒于水。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Xunzi, c. 3^rd century BCE

Jūnzǐ yuē: xué bùkě yǐ yǐ. Qīng, qǔ zhī yú lán, ér qīng yú lán; bīng, shuǐ wèi zhī, ér hán yú shuǐ. [Pinyin]

The gentleman said: Learning must never cease. Blue is obtained from the indigo plant but is bluer than the plant itself; ice is made from water but is colder than water itself.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): qīng chū yú lán, ér qīng yú lán

  (Zhuyin): ㄑㄧㄥ ㄔㄨ ㄩˊ ㄌㄢˊ , ㄦˊ ㄑㄧㄥ ㄩˊ ㄌㄢˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): cing¹ ceot¹ jyu¹ laam⁴, ji⁴ cing¹ jyu¹ laam⁴

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: qīng chū yú lán, ér qīng yú lán
    • Zhuyin: ㄑㄧㄥ ㄔㄨ ㄩˊ ㄌㄢˊ , ㄦˊ ㄑㄧㄥ ㄩˊ ㄌㄢˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: cing chu yú lán, ér cing yú lán
    • Wade–Giles: chʻing¹ chʻu¹ yü² lan², êrh² chʻing¹ yü² lan²
    • Yale: chīng chū yú lán-, ér chīng yú lán
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ching chu yu lan, erl ching yu lan
    • Palladius: цин чу юй лань, эр цин юй лань (cin ču juj lanʹ, er cin juj lanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂʰu⁵⁵ y³⁵ län³⁵ ˀɤɻ³⁵ t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ y³⁵ län³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: cing¹ ceot¹ jyu¹ laam⁴, ji⁴ cing¹ jyu¹ laam⁴
    • Yale: chīng chēut yū làahm, yìh chīng yū làahm
    • Cantonese Pinyin: tsing¹ tsoet⁷ jy¹ laam⁴, ji⁴ tsing¹ jy¹ laam⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: qing¹ cêd¹ yu¹ lam⁴, yi⁴ qing¹ yu¹ lam⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɪŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰɵt̚⁵ jyː⁵⁵ laːm²¹ jiː²¹ t͡sʰɪŋ⁵⁵ jyː⁵⁵ laːm²¹/

Proverb

青出於藍，而青於藍

1. the student has surpassed his or her teacher

Synonyms

• 青出於藍，而勝於藍／青出于蓝，而胜于蓝 (qīng chū yú lán, ér shèng yú lán)
• 青出於藍，更勝於藍／青出于蓝，更胜于蓝
• 青出於藍／青出于蓝 (qīngchūyúlán)
• 青過於藍／青过于蓝

Descendants

• → Japanese: 青は藍より出でて藍より青し (ao wa ai yori idete ai yori aoshi) (calque)