📖 Meaning
An abbreviation of the phrase "青出于蓝，冰寒于水" — blue extracted from the indigo plant is bluer than the plant itself, and ice formed from water is colder than the water. It is a metaphor for a student surpassing their teacher or later generations exceeding their predecessors.
📜 Origin Story
From the Qing dynasty work "燕下乡脞录" (Miscellaneous Records from Yanxia) by Chen Kangqi, Volume 4. The passage discusses the Tongcheng school of classical prose, which was opened by Fang Bao (望溪), continued by Liu Dagui (海峰), and flourished to its fullest under Yao Nai (惜抱). Although Yao Nai was a disciple of Liu Dagui, the world recognized that he had surpassed his master, giving rise to the comparison of 青蓝冰水 — just as blue surpasses indigo and ice surpasses water in coldness.
💡 Example Usage
他的画技早已超过老师，真可谓青蓝冰水。
His painting skills have long surpassed those of his teacher — truly a case of the student exceeding the master.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 青蓝冰水
- Pinyin: qīng lán bīng shuǐ
- Literal Translation: blue, indigo, ice, water
- Category: Learning
- Characters: 4