Idiom 成語 7

脱颖而出 (tuō yǐng ér chū) means:
👉 to stand out / to emerge from the crowd / to distinguish oneself
It describes someone or something that clearly rises above others due to talent, ability, or performance.
Literal idea:

脱 = to break free / come out of
颖 = tip of a grain (metaphor for talent showing through)
而出 = and come out

So it originally means the tip of talent “poking out” from a bag, and now it means standing out among others.
English equivalents:
to stand out
to rise above the rest
to distinguish oneself
to shine among peers