📖 Meaning
Having both moral character and practical ability. It describes a person who possesses both good ethical qualities and the competence to get work done. This phrase is often used as a standard for selecting and evaluating talent.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase appears in the work of Song dynasty scholar Xu Yueqing in his collection Xiantian Ji, where he wrote a poem praising Fan Zhongyan, a renowned statesman of the Northern Song dynasty. The original line reads '德备才全范仲淹,' describing Fan Zhongyan as someone whose virtue was complete and whose talent was whole. Over time, the expression evolved into the four-character idiom 德才兼备, emphasizing that true excellence requires both moral integrity and professional capability.
💡 Example Usage
公司这次招聘，优先录用德才兼备的人才。
In this round of hiring, the company prioritized recruiting talents who possess both virtue and ability.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 德才兼备
- Pinyin: dé cái jiān bèi
- Literal Translation: virtue, talent, both, possessed
- Category: Quality
- Characters: 4