他山之石可以攻玉

tā shān zhī shí kě yǐ gōng yù

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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

Child Words of 他山之石可以攻玉

之
zhī

(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de])

他
tā

he; him (used for either sex when the sex is unknown or unimportant)

以
yǐ

to use

可
kě

can

可以
kě yǐ

can

山
shān

mountain; hill (CL:座[zuò])

攻
gōng

to attack

玉
yù

jade

石
dàn

dry measure for grain equal to ten dou 斗[dǒu]; one hundred liters

石
shí

rock