📖 Meaning
To assess a person's abilities and assign them appropriate work or a suitable position accordingly. It emphasizes matching individual skills to the right responsibilities rather than employing people indiscriminately. The phrase reflects a meritocratic approach to personnel management.
📜 Origin Story
The concept traces back to the 'Book of Rites' (礼记·王制), a Confucian classic from the Zhou dynasty, which states that when appointing people to office, one must first evaluate their abilities before assigning them duties. The explicit phrase was used by the Song dynasty scholar-official Su Shi (苏轼) in his memorial to Emperor Shenzong, where he advocated that people should be employed according to their measured talents regardless of background, with small contributions rewarded for specific tasks and larger appointments made by assessing overall ability. The idiom embodies the traditional Chinese ideal of merit-based governance.
💡 Example Usage
公司在招聘时坚持量才录用的原则，让每位员工都能发挥所长。
The company adheres to the principle of hiring people according to their abilities, allowing every employee to make the most of their strengths.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 量才录用
- Pinyin: liàng cái lù yòng
- Literal Translation: measure, talent, employ, use
- Category: Leadership
- Characters: 4