To be outstanding; preeminent; to excel all others of one's kind; to stand out from the crowd.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Story:
Mencius, whose given name was Ke and courtesy name Ziyu, was from the State of Zou (modern-day Zouchang, Shandong). He was a student of Zisi, Confucius's grandson. Inheriting Confucius's teachings, he became a great thinker and educator during the Warring States period.
One day, Mencius's student Gongsun Chou asked, "Teacher, were the ancient figures Boyi and Yiyin comparable to Confucius?"
Mencius replied, "You Ruo, a student of Confucius, once said: 'All things of the same kind can be compared. For instance, a qilin compared to other beasts, a phoenix compared to other birds, Mount Tai compared to other hills, and rivers and seas compared to puddles and streams – the former invariably far surpasses the latter. Saints, though of the same kind as other people, have far surpassed and excelled beyond them (out of their kind and towering above their peers). Since humanity began, no one has been greater than Confucius.'"