大浪淘沙

dàlàng-táoshā

idiom

Meanings

1 great waves washing away the sand
2 harsh tests separating the worthy from the worthless
3 survival of only the finest

Characters

to wash; to rinse away

Examples

HSK 3

创业是一场大浪淘沙的过程。

Chuàngyè shì yī chǎng dàlàng-táoshā de guòchéng.

Starting a business is a winnowing process - only the fittest survive.

HSK 4

经过市场大浪淘沙，真正的好产品才能留下来。

Jīngguò shìchǎng dàlàng-táoshā, zhēnzhèng de hǎo chǎnpǐn cáinéng liúxiàlái.

After the market sifts everything through its waves, only truly good products remain.

HSK 7-9

历史就是大浪淘沙，留下的都是精华。

Lìshǐ jiùshì dàlàng-táoshā, liúxià de dōu shì jīnghuá.

History is a winnowing process - what remains is the essence.

Tips

usage

Often used at the end of a sentence as a stand-alone metaphor, or as an attributive: 大浪淘沙的过程/考验. Describes markets, history, competitions - anywhere harsh conditions select for quality.

culture

Also the title of a 1977 Chinese film 《大浪淘沙》 about young revolutionaries in 1920s Guangzhou, and the name of several TV dramas. The phrase carries connotations of historical reckoning, not just competitive filtering.

Stroke Order

大 dà

浪 làng

淘 táo

沙 shā