







八仙过海,各显其能 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to describe a situation where everyone involved uses their unique skills, methods, or expertise to achieve a common goal, often in a competitive or collaborative setting; everyone showcases their individual talents”. Literally, “The Eight Immortals cross the sea, each demonstrating their unique abilities”.
According to legend, the Eight Daoist Immortals were on their way to the Peach Banquet of the Queen Mother of the West. When they arrived at the East Sea, Lü Dongbin suggested that each of them cross the sea using their own unique method.
And so, Iron Crutch Li stood on his dragon-head staff, Han Xiangzi sat in his flower basket, while Lü Dongbin, Lan Caihe, Zhang Guolao, Han Zhongli, He Xiangu, and Cao Guojiu crossed the water using their respective flute, paper donkey, clapper, drum, bamboo cover, and jade tablet.

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Open the tool →八仙过海,各显其能 (bā xiān guò hǎi , gè xiǎn qí néng) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “to describe a situation where everyone involved uses their unique skills, methods, or expertise to achieve a common goal, often in a competitive or collaborative setting; everyone showcases their individual talents”.
八仙过海,各显其能 is pronounced bā xiān guò hǎi , gè xiǎn qí néng in Mandarin Chinese.
Literally, 八仙过海,各显其能 means “the Eight Immortals cross the sea, each demonstrating their unique abilities”. It is used to mean “to describe a situation where everyone involved uses their unique skills, methods, or expertise to achieve a common goal, often in a competitive or collaborative setting; everyone showcases their individual talents”.
八仙过海,各显其能 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
八仙:道教传说中的八位神仙。比喻做事各有各的一套办法。也比喻各自拿出本领互相比赛。