jísīguǎngyì: 集思广益 - To Pool Wisdom for the Common Good

• Keywords: jísīguǎngyì, jisi guangyi, 集思广益, meaning of jisi guangyi, how to use jisi guangyi, Chinese idiom for brainstorming, pool wisdom, collective wisdom, crowdsource ideas, Chinese business culture, teamwork in China.
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 集思广益 (jísīguǎngyì), a powerful Chinese idiom that means “to pool everyone's wisdom for the common good.” This comprehensive guide explores its cultural roots in collectivism, breaks down its characters, and provides practical example sentences to help you use it effectively in business meetings, group projects, and formal discussions. Learn how it differs from the Western concept of “brainstorming” and master its usage in modern China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jísīguǎngyì
• Part of Speech: Idiom (Chengyu) / Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 6+ (Advanced)
• Concise Definition: To gather wisdom from a wide range of people to achieve a greater benefit.
• In a Nutshell: 集思广益 is the principle that a group's collective intelligence is greater than any single individual's. It's more than just “brainstorming”; it's a collaborative process of collecting diverse ideas, thoughts, and suggestions from a group to make a more informed and beneficial decision. The phrase carries a sense of humility and inclusiveness, often used by a leader to encourage participation and show respect for team members' opinions.

• 集 (jí): To gather, to collect, or to assemble. Think of a collection of stamps (集邮 - jíyóu).
• 思 (sī): To think, to consider; thoughts or ideas. Think of the word for “thought” (思想 - sīxiǎng).
• 广 (guǎng): Broad, wide, or extensive. Think of a public square (广场 - guǎngchǎng).
• 益 (yì): Benefit, profit, or advantage. Think of the word “beneficial” (有益 - yǒuyì).

These characters combine to paint a vivid picture: “Gather (集) thoughts (思) to broaden (广) the benefits (益).” The logic is straightforward and elegant—by collecting a wide array of ideas, you expand the potential for a positive outcome for everyone involved.

集思广益 is deeply rooted in Chinese collectivist values, where the harmony and success of the group often take precedence over individual achievement. The idiom reflects a management and social philosophy that values consensus and comprehensive input. A leader who calls for everyone to 集思广益 is not seen as weak or indecisive, but rather as wise, humble, and respectful of the group's collective talent. A useful Western comparison is “brainstorming,” but there's a key difference in emphasis. Brainstorming often focuses on the rapid generation of a high quantity of ideas without initial judgment. 集思广益, while also about idea generation, carries a stronger connotation of seeking quality and diverse perspectives to arrive at a well-considered, beneficial solution. It’s less about a chaotic storm of ideas and more about a structured collection of wisdom. The end goal—the “benefit” (益)—is explicitly part of the idiom itself, which is not the case for “brainstorming.”

This idiom is formal but widely used and understood in various contexts.

• Business and Corporate Settings: This is its most common habitat. A manager will frequently use it at the start of a meeting to kick off a discussion about a problem or new project. It sets a collaborative and respectful tone.
• Government and Academia: Officials and scholars use it to describe processes of public consultation, policy-making, or academic research, emphasizing an inclusive and thorough approach.
• Group Planning: While it's formal, it can be used among friends or in a club when planning a complex event, like a major trip or a wedding. Using it here adds a touch of seriousness and emphasizes the need for everyone's input.

The connotation is almost always positive. It's a call for productive collaboration and is seen as a hallmark of good leadership and effective teamwork.

• Example 1:
  • 为了找到最佳解决方案，我们必须集思广益。
  • Pinyin: Wèile zhǎodào zuìjiā jiějué fāng'àn, wǒmen bìxū jísīguǎngyì.
  • English: In order to find the best solution, we must pool our wisdom.
  • Analysis: A classic and straightforward use, common in a business or team context. It states the goal and the method.
• Example 2:
  • 会议的目的是让大家集思广益，为公司的新项目出谋划策。
  • Pinyin: Huìyì de mùdì shì ràng dàjiā jísīguǎngyì, wèi gōngsī de xīn xiàngmù chūmóuhuàcè.
  • English: The purpose of the meeting is to let everyone brainstorm and offer suggestions for the company's new project.
  • Analysis: This sentence explains the purpose of a meeting. It's often used by a leader to set the agenda and encourage participation from the start. `出谋划策 (chūmóuhuàcè)` is another idiom meaning “to give advice and plan.”
• Example 3:
  • 这个设计方案是集思广益的结果，凝聚了整个团队的智慧。
  • Pinyin: Zhège shèjì fāng'àn shì jísīguǎngyì de jiéguǒ, níngjùle zhěnggè tuánduì de zhìhuì.
  • English: This design plan is the result of collective wisdom; it embodies the intelligence of the entire team.
  • Analysis: Here, the idiom is used to describe a successful outcome. It gives credit to the entire team rather than a single person.
• Example 4:
  • 领导鼓励我们，遇到难题时要敢于集思广益，不要一个人扛。
  • Pinyin: Lǐngdǎo gǔlì wǒmen, yùdào nántí shí yào gǎnyú jísīguǎngyì, bùyào yīgè rén káng.
  • English: The leader encouraged us that when we encounter difficult problems, we should dare to pool our wisdom and not carry the burden alone.
  • Analysis: This highlights the cultural value of relying on the group. “一个人扛 (yīgè rén káng)” means “to shoulder it alone.”
• Example 5:
  • 在制定这个政策之前，政府通过多种渠道集思广益，听取了公众的意见。
  • Pinyin: Zài zhìdìng zhège zhèngcè zhīqián, zhèngfǔ tōngguò duōzhǒng qúdào jísīguǎngyì, tīngqǔle gōngzhòng de yìjiàn.
  • English: Before formulating this policy, the government pooled ideas from all sources through various channels and listened to public opinion.
  • Analysis: This is a typical example from a formal, official context, such as a news report about government policy-making.
• Example 6:
  • 咱们来集思广益一下，想想周末去哪儿玩儿才能让所有人都满意。
  • Pinyin: Zánmen lái jísīguǎngyì yíxià, xiǎngxiang zhōumò qù nǎr wánr cáinéng ràng suǒyǒu rén dōu mǎnyì.
  • English: Let's put our heads together and think about where to go this weekend so that everyone will be happy.
  • Analysis: A slightly less formal usage among a group of friends. Using the idiom here adds a lighthearted seriousness to the task of satisfying everyone. The “一下 (yíxià)” softens it.
• Example 7:
  • 一个好的管理者，应该懂得如何引导团队集思广益，而不是独断专行。
  • Pinyin: Yīgè hǎo de guǎnlǐzhě, yīnggāi dǒngde rúhé yǐndǎo tuánduì jísīguǎngyì, ér bùshì dúduànzhuānxíng.
  • English: A good manager should know how to guide their team to pool their wisdom, rather than acting arbitrarily.
  • Analysis: This sentence defines good leadership by contrasting 集思广益 with its antonym, `独断专行 (dúduànzhuānxíng)`.
• Example 8:
  • 面对如此复杂的市场环境，单靠一个人的力量是不够的，必须集思广益。
  • Pinyin: Miànduì rúcǐ fùzá de shìchǎng huánjìng, dān kào yīgè rén de lìliàng shì bùgòu de, bìxū jísīguǎngyì.
  • English: Facing such a complex market environment, relying on one person's strength is not enough; we must pool our collective wisdom.
  • Analysis: This emphasizes the necessity of collaboration when facing a complex challenge.
• Example 9:
  • 我们为这个活动举办了一场集思广益的研讨会。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen wèi zhège huódòng jǔbànle yī chǎng jísīguǎngyì de yántǎohuì.
  • English: We held a brainstorming seminar for this event.
  • Analysis: Here, the idiom functions as an adjective to describe the nature of the seminar (`研讨会`). It tells you the meeting's purpose was collaborative idea generation.
• Example 10:
  • 在产品开发阶段，我们需要不断地集思广益，才能打造出用户真正喜爱的产品。
  • Pinyin: Zài chǎnpǐn kāifā jiēduàn, wǒmen xūyào bùduàn de jísīguǎngyì, cáinéng dǎzào chū yònghù zhēnzhèng xǐ'ài de chǎnpǐn.
  • English: During the product development phase, we need to constantly pool our ideas in order to create a product that users truly love.
  • Analysis: This example shows it as an ongoing process (“不断地” - bùduàn de) rather than a single event.

• Don't use it for simple, two-person decisions. 集思广益 implies a group, usually three or more people. Using it for a simple choice between two people sounds overly dramatic and formal.
  • Incorrect: 我和朋友集思广益，决定去看电影。(My friend and I “pooled our wisdom” and decided to go to the movies.)
  • Correct: 我和朋友商量了一下，决定去看电影。(My friend and I discussed it a bit and decided to go to the movies.)
• It's not just “discussion.” While discussion (`讨论 - tǎolùn`) is part of the process, 集思广益 specifically refers to the act of gathering ideas for a beneficial outcome. It's more goal-oriented than a general discussion.
• “False Friend”: Crowdsourcing. While related, “crowdsourcing” in English often implies soliciting input from a large, anonymous public (e.g., the internet) for tasks that can be simple or complex. 集思广益 typically refers to a more defined group of stakeholders, team members, or experts engaged in thoughtful deliberation to solve a specific problem.

• 三个臭皮匠，赛过诸葛亮 (sān ge chòupíjiàng, sài guò Zhūgě Liàng) - A popular proverb meaning “Three smelly cobblers are better than one Zhuge Liang (a famous strategist).” It's the colloquial, folksy equivalent of 集思广益, expressing the same idea that collective wisdom surpasses individual genius.
• 群策群力 (qúncè qúnlì) - A very close synonym meaning “collective wisdom and collective effort.” It emphasizes both the thinking (`策`) and the action/effort (`力`) of the group.
• 头脑风暴 (tóunǎo fēngbào) - The direct, modern loanword for “brainstorming.” It's used often in business contexts, sometimes interchangeably with 集思广益, but lacks the deep cultural and philosophical weight of the traditional idiom.
• 博采众长 (bócǎi zhòngcháng) - “To draw widely from others' strengths.” This is similar but often used to describe how an individual or an organization learns from many different sources to improve itself. It's more about learning and absorption than collaborative decision-making.
• 独断专行 (dúduàn zhuānxíng) - An antonym. “To act arbitrarily and dictatorially; to make decisions all by oneself.” This is the style of leadership that 集思广益 is meant to prevent.
• 商量 (shāngliang) - A common verb meaning “to discuss, to consult.” It's the everyday word you'd use for making a decision with one or two other people.
• 集思会 (jísīhuì) - A “brainstorming meeting” or “ideas workshop.” The name is derived directly from the idiom.