pāo zhuān yǐn yù: 抛砖引玉 - To Offer a Humble Suggestion to Elicit a Better One

• Keywords: pāo zhuān yǐn yù, 抛砖引玉, Chinese idiom for humility, throw a brick attract jade, offer a humble opinion, get the ball rolling, brainstorming in Chinese, Chinese business etiquette, 谦虚 (qiānxū), modesty in communication.
• Summary: The Chinese idiom 抛砖引玉 (pāo zhuān yǐn yù) literally translates to “to throw a brick to attract jade.” It's a classic expression of humility used when offering one's own simple or unrefined idea to encourage others to share their more valuable insights. Commonly used in business meetings, academic discussions, and brainstorming sessions, this phrase is a polite way to “get the ball rolling” while showing respect for the expertise of others. Understanding 抛砖引玉 is key to navigating professional and social situations in a culturally appropriate way in China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): pāo zhuān yǐn yù
• Part of Speech: 成语 (chéngyǔ) - Idiom; can function as a verb phrase.
• HSK Level: N/A (This is a common 成语, considered advanced proficiency beyond the standard HSK 1-6 lists).
• Concise Definition: To offer one's own simple idea (the “brick”) to attract more valuable opinions from others (the “jade”).
• In a Nutshell: This is a classic, polite phrase for sharing your thoughts first, especially when you're in a group. It's like saying, “Here's my simple idea to get us started, and I'm looking forward to hearing your much better ones.” It's a social tool that simultaneously allows you to contribute, encourages others to speak, and frames your contribution with humility.

• 抛 (pāo): To throw, to toss, or to cast away.
• 砖 (zhuān): A brick; a common, rough, and low-value building material.
• 引 (yǐn): To lead, to draw out, or to attract.
• 玉 (yù): Jade; a precious, beautiful, and highly-valued stone in Chinese culture, symbolizing purity and wisdom.

The four characters combine to create a powerful metaphor: one “throws” a worthless “brick” (a simple, undeveloped idea) with the hope of “attracting” a priceless piece of “jade” (a brilliant, well-refined idea from someone else).

The idiom 抛砖引玉 is a perfect window into the Chinese cultural value of 谦虚 (qiānxū - humility/modesty). In many Western cultures, particularly in business, confidence and assertiveness are prized. Individuals are often encouraged to “sell” their ideas. In contrast, traditional Chinese culture often values group harmony and showing respect for others by downplaying one's own contributions. A close Western equivalent might be “to get the ball rolling” or “just spitballing an idea.” However, these phrases lack the core element of self-deprecation and deference. “Getting the ball rolling” is about initiating action; 抛砖引玉 is about initiating action by explicitly elevating the potential contributions of others above your own. Using this phrase is a social strategy. It lowers the barrier for others to participate, as they don't have to challenge a “brilliant” idea but are instead invited to improve upon a humble “brick.” This fosters a collaborative atmosphere, reflecting a more collectivist approach to problem-solving, where the group's final “jade” is more important than any individual's initial “brick.”

This idiom is formal but widely used and understood in many modern contexts, especially in professional and academic settings.

• Business Meetings & Brainstorming: This is the most common scenario. A manager or team member will present a preliminary plan or idea and use this phrase to encourage open discussion and feedback without appearing arrogant.
• Speeches & Presentations: A speaker might begin their talk by saying they are offering some simple thoughts to 抛砖引玉, inviting the audience to think more deeply on the subject.
• Academic Conferences: A scholar presenting a new paper might use this phrase to frame their work as a starting point for further research by other experts in the field.
• Online Forums: A user might post a simple solution to a technical problem and write “抛砖引玉” to invite others to share more elegant or efficient solutions.

Its connotation is almost always positive and polite. It signals respect, humility, and a collaborative spirit.

• Example 1:
  • 我先说几句，算是抛砖引玉，希望大家都能发表自己的看法。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiān shuō jǐ jù, suànshì pāo zhuān yǐn yù, xīwàng dàjiā dōu néng fābiǎo zìjǐ de kànfǎ.
  • English: Let me say a few words first to get the ball rolling, I hope everyone will express their own opinions.
  • Analysis: A classic use in a meeting or group discussion to encourage participation. The speaker is taking the lead but in a very humble way.
• Example 2:
  • 这只是我的一个不成熟的设计草案，希望能抛砖引玉，激发大家更好的创意。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhǐshì wǒ de yí ge bù chéngshú de shèjì cǎo'àn, xīwàng néng pāo zhuān yǐn yù, jīfā dàjiā gèng hǎo de chuàngyì.
  • English: This is just my immature design draft; I hope it can serve as a humble start to draw out everyone's better creative ideas.
  • Analysis: Used when presenting creative work. The speaker explicitly calls their own work “immature” to make others feel comfortable suggesting changes or entirely new concepts.
• Example 3:
  • 在今天的研讨会上，我的发言主要是为了抛砖引玉。
  • Pinyin: Zài jīntiān de yántǎohuì shàng, wǒ de fāyán zhǔyào shì wèile pāo zhuān yǐn yù.
  • English: At today's seminar, my speech is mainly intended to spark a discussion.
  • Analysis: A formal and appropriate way to frame a presentation in an academic setting, showing respect for other scholars present.
• Example 4:
  • 为了解决这个问题，我提一个方案，权当抛砖引玉。
  • Pinyin: Wèile jiějué zhège wèntí, wǒ tí yí ge fāng'àn, quándāng pāo zhuān yǐn yù.
  • English: To solve this problem, I'll propose a plan, just consider it a humble suggestion to elicit better ones.
  • Analysis: The word 权当 (quándāng) means “to just treat it as,” which further emphasizes the humble and temporary nature of the proposed idea.
• Example 5:
  • 谢谢李经理的分享，您刚才真是抛砖引玉，我现在也有了一些新想法。
  • Pinyin: Xièxie Lǐ jīnglǐ de fēnxiǎng, nín gāngcái zhēnshi pāo zhuān yǐn yù, wǒ xiànzài yě yǒule yìxiē xīn xiǎngfǎ.
  • English: Thanks for sharing, Manager Li. What you just did was a great example of throwing out a brick to attract jade; I have some new ideas now too.
  • Analysis: This shows how you can use the phrase to compliment someone else. You are validating their contribution by calling it a “brick” that successfully attracted your “jade” (new ideas).
• Example 6:
  • 我这篇文章写得很一般，发出来就是想抛砖引玉，看看各位专家有什么高见。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zhè piān wénzhāng xiě de hěn yìbān, fā chūlái jiùshì xiǎng pāo zhuān yǐn yù, kànkan gèwèi zhuānjiā yǒu shénme gāojiàn.
  • English: This article I wrote is quite average; I'm publishing it to elicit more valuable opinions, to see what brilliant views the experts have.
  • Analysis: Common in academic or literary circles. “高见 (gāojiàn)” means “lofty view” or “brilliant opinion,” and is the “jade” the speaker hopes to attract.
• Example 7:
  • 这个问题很难，我先抛砖引玉，我觉得可以从两个方面入手……
  • Pinyin: Zhège wèntí hěn nán, wǒ xiān pāo zhuān yǐn yù, wǒ juéde kěyǐ cóng liǎng ge fāngmiàn rùshǒu…
  • English: This is a difficult problem. Let me start things off with a simple idea: I think we can approach it from two angles…
  • Analysis: A pragmatic use to break the silence when a group is stuck on a difficult problem. It's an invitation to build on a starting point.
• Example 8:
  • 我们的新产品该如何推广？请大家畅所欲言，我先抛砖引玉。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de xīn chǎnpǐn gāi rúhé tuīguǎng? Qǐng dàjiā chàngsuǒyùyán, wǒ xiān pāo zhuān yǐn yù.
  • English: How should we promote our new product? Please speak freely, I'll kick things off.
  • Analysis: Here, it's used by a leader to empower a team. It creates a safe space for brainstorming (畅所欲言 - chàngsuǒyùyán, to speak one's mind freely).
• Example 9:
  • 我对这个领域的了解不深，就当是抛砖引玉，说错了请大家指正。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ duì zhège lǐngyù de liǎojiě bù shēn, jiù dāng shì pāo zhuān yǐn yù, shuō cuòle qǐng dàjiā zhǐzhèng.
  • English: My understanding of this field is not deep, so just consider this me offering a humble idea to draw out better ones. If I say anything wrong, please correct me.
  • Analysis: This is an extra-humble usage, often by someone who is not an expert in the group. It protects them from criticism while still allowing them to contribute.
• Example 10:
  • 没想到我抛砖引玉的建议，最后竟然引出了这么一个完美的解决方案。
  • Pinyin: Méi xiǎngdào wǒ pāo zhuān yǐn yù de jiànyì, zuìhòu jìngrán yǐn chūle zhème yí ge wánměi de jiějué fāng'àn.
  • English: I never thought that my “brick-throwing” suggestion would end up drawing out such a perfect solution.
  • Analysis: A reflective use of the term after a successful outcome, giving credit to the group for refining the initial idea.

• Don't Use it for Genuinely Brilliant Ideas: If you present a truly groundbreaking, well-researched plan and call it 抛砖引玉, you can come across as having false modesty (假谦虚 - jiǎ qiānxū) or even being arrogant. The “brick” should be a genuinely preliminary, simple, or foundational idea.
• It's Not for Truly Bad Ideas: The “brick” should still be a solid object, a valid starting point. Using this phrase to excuse a lazy or completely thoughtless comment is a misuse of the idiom. It's for a simple idea, not a useless one.
• False Friend: “Devil's Advocate”: This idiom is not about challenging an idea to test its strength. Playing devil's advocate is oppositional. 抛砖引玉 is propositional—it's about contributing a starting idea, not attacking one.
• Incorrect Usage Example:
  • (A senior expert presenting their life's work): 我的研究成果其实很普通，今天就是来抛砖引玉的。(Wǒ de yánjiū chéngguǒ qíshí hěn pǔtōng, jīntiān jiùshì lái pāo zhuān yǐn yù de.)
  • Why it's wrong: While humble, this is overly modest to the point of being disingenuous. The life's work of an expert is “jade,” not a “brick.” It would be more appropriate for them to say they hope their research inspires future scholars.

• 谦虚 (qiānxū) - Modesty, humility. This is the core cultural value that 抛砖引玉 embodies.
• 集思广益 (jísī guǎngyì) - To gather wisdom from the crowd and benefit from it. This is often the desired result of a successful 抛砖引玉.
• 班门弄斧 (bānmén nòngfǔ) - Lit. “to wield an axe at the gate of Lu Ban (the master carpenter).” An antonymous concept; it means to show off one's trivial skills in front of an expert.
• 愚见 (yújiàn) - “My foolish opinion.” A humble term to refer to one's own ideas, often used in the same breath as 抛砖引玉. Ex: “这只是我的一点愚见…” (This is just a foolish opinion of mine…).
• 拙见 (zhuōjiàn) - “My clumsy view.” A synonym for 愚见, another polite way to devalue one's own opinion before offering it.
• 客气 (kèqi) - Polite, courteous. Using 抛砖引玉 is a very 客气 and socially intelligent way of communicating.
• 不耻下问 (bù chǐ xià wèn) - Not to be ashamed to ask and learn from one's juniors or subordinates. This reflects a similar spirit of humility focused on learning.