沧海遗珠

滄海遺珠
cānghǎiyízhū
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 a pearl left in the deep sea
  2. 2 undiscovered talent
  3. 3 overlooked gem

Examples

Zhè wèi zuòjiā de zǎoqī zuòpǐn kānchēng cānghǎiyízhū.
This author's early works can truly be called overlooked gems.
Zài mínjiān hái yǒu xǔduō cānghǎiyízhū děngdài bèi fājué.
Many overlooked gems still wait to be discovered among the people.

Tips

history
From 《唐书·狄仁杰》: when Tang official Yan Liben tested the young Di Renjie and found him brilliant, he sighed that any flaw in their assessment would have left him 'a pearl lost in the vast sea' (沧海遗珠) — i.e. great talent missed by the system.
usage
Often used in cultural and literary contexts: rediscovered books, forgotten artists, underrated films. Carries a tone of admiration plus regret that recognition came late.

Stroke Order

cāng
hǎi
zhū