他山之石可以攻玉

tā shān zhī shí kě yǐ gōng yù

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Definitions

1. lit. the other mountain's stone can polish jade (idiom); to improve oneself by accepting criticism from outside
2. to borrow talent from abroad to develop the nation effectively

Child Words of 他山之石可以攻玉

• 之 之 zhī: (possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de])
• 他 他 tā: he; him (used for either sex when the sex is unknown or unimportant)
• 以 以 yǐ: to use
• 可 可 kě: can
• 可以 可以 kě yǐ: can
• 山 山 shān: mountain; hill (CL:座[zuò])
• 攻 攻 gōng: to attack
• 玉 玉 yù: jade
• 石 石 dàn: dry measure for grain equal to ten dou 斗[dǒu]; one hundred liters
• 石 石 shí: rock