我先抛砖引玉，请大家补充。
I'll offer a modest start — please add better ideas.
Daily Chengyu
抛砖引玉
Offer a modest idea to elicit better ones.
Literal Meaning: Throw brick to attract jade.
抛throw
砖brick
引attract
玉jade
Today's Situation
You share a rough draft in the group chat so others improve it.
Perfect Chengyu: 抛砖引玉
Actual Meaning
Humble way to share an imperfect thought hoping others contribute superior ideas. Common in meetings and forums.
Emotional toneHumble, collaborative
Usage feelNeutral in tone
FormalityNeutral
English Equivalent
- My two cents to start...
- Throw an idea out there.
- Starter for discussion.
English equivalents capture the general idea, but they may not fit every context exactly.
Modern Usage Example
I'll 抛砖引玉 with a rough idea — please add better ones.
Chinese Example Sentences
这篇文章是抛砖引玉。
This article is meant to spark better contributions.
Origin Story
A poet humbly offered simple lines hoping greater poets would respond with gems — brick attracts jade.
When Natives Use It
Good fit
- Meetings
- Brainstorms
- Academic forums
- Online discussions
Avoid
Polite opener. Shows humility.
- Common in speech
- Common in writing
- Sounds natural today
- Possible but uncommon in casual chat
- More common in writing or commentary
- Use with care — can sound critical
Similar and Opposite Chengyu
Daily Quiz
Which best matches 抛砖引玉?
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