Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 優秀 / 优秀 | yōuxiù |
| 出色 | chūsè |
The term 優秀 / 优秀 is frequently used in academic or professional contexts to describe students, employees or works of art. Other ways to express outstanding include 杰出, which is used to describe someone or something in a formal setting and 卓越, which is used in formal contexts to describe exceptional excellence or outstanding achievement. You may also use 极好 to mean excellent or outstanding in both formal and informal situations.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 出色 literally breaks down into 出 (to emerge or stand out) and 色 (color), implying that something stands out vividly like a bright color.
Which one should you use?
For a more colloquial tone, you can use 牛 to describe someone or something as awesome or amazing.
How does it change in a sentence?
To intensify the adjective 优秀, you can place the adverb 非常 before it to say something is extremely outstanding, as in 非常优秀.
How do you pronounce it?
yōuxiù
Did you know?
- While 'outstanding' often implies high quality, the colloquial term 牛 (niú) literally translates to 'cow' or 'ox'. It is used to describe someone as 'awesome' or 'outstanding' in a very informal way.
- In Chinese educational culture, being 优秀 often refers to a specific grade tier on a formal evaluation rather than just a general compliment.
- The term 出色 was used in the Yuan dynasty play 江州司馬青衫淚 by Ma Zhiyuan. This means the phrase describing something 'standing out through color' has a literary history spanning hundreds of years.
Examples in context
- 他在音乐界有着杰出的天赋。He has outstanding talent in the music industry.
- 这个项目取得了卓越的成果。This project has achieved outstanding results.
- 这本书真牛，非常有启发性。This book is outstanding and very inspiring.
- 这是一次极好的演出。This is an outstanding performance.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “outstanding” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 出色, CC BY-SA 4.0.
