<blockquote>
<p><strong>精</strong> <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/565/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/565/</a></p>
<p>[4] [adj] skilled; versed; <strong>proficient</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>~</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>益</strong> <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/1217/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/1217/</a></p>
<p>[1] [v] increase; add to; augment [2] <strong>in a higher degree</strong>; to a greater extent; more</p>
</blockquote>
<p>~</p>
<blockquote>
<p>求 <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/883/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/883/</a></p>
<p>[2] <strong>seek</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>~</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>精益求精</strong> <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/7244/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/7244/</a></p>
<p>(idiom) <strong>to constantly improve oneself</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<pre><code>Can someone please better explain the arrangement XY求X?
</code></pre>
<p>It is an idiom, not a sentence. Idioms do not have to follow normal grammar rules. You just have to look at each character within an idiom to construct a coherent meaning in your mind. In the case of 精益求精, it offers:</p>
<p>精 &quot;proficient&quot; (adj)</p>
<p>益 &quot;in a higher degree&quot; (adverb phrase) +  求 &quot;seek&quot; (V)</p>
<p>精 &quot;proficient&quot; (adj)</p>
<p>(and it does not constitute a sentence. )</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;<em>proficient in a higher degree seeking proficient</em>&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>~</p>
<p>You have to decode the meaning with logical deduction and get:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;<em>(someone already) proficient (still) seeking proficiency in a higher degree</em>&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>But most of the time, it is best to learn the story of the idiom and memorize the meaning behind it.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-10T12:50:08.260Z
That explains it. Someone already proficient seeking more proficiency. Thanks.
Jack Maddington
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-08T06:35:13.643Z
2016-10-08T06:35:13.643Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>精益求精</p>

<p>Try this link:</p>

<p><a href="http://baike.baidu.com/link?url=O3VNmx4OycxEKxV6GQ6uqpaNw8ldIR9W4wmebs46jTG3Q_GrZ-DqJBmEMzX8x_qh1cYEjUFcTbhzyr_esEFtqsmZBCoWSVaiW2Qom_QqRXcvvI4d55sVR8miWs68jcOF" rel="nofollow">http://baike.baidu.com/link?url=O3VNmx4OycxEKxV6GQ6uqpaNw8ldIR9W4wmebs46jTG3Q_GrZ-DqJBmEMzX8x_qh1cYEjUFcTbhzyr_esEFtqsmZBCoWSVaiW2Qom_QqRXcvvI4d55sVR8miWs68jcOF</a></p>

<p>精：完美；
jing: perfect</p>

<p>益：更加；
yi: even more</p>

<p>求：追求。
qiu: seek, want, desire</p>

<p>事物已经非常出色了，
Something already outstanding</p>

<p>却还要追求更加完美，
but still want even more perfect</p>

<p>好了还求更好。
good still want better.</p>

<p>Trying to improve on perfection</p>

<p>Perfection is not attainable. But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence. ~Vince Lombardi
Striving to better, oft we mar what's well. ~William Shakespeare, King Lear</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-08T09:14:11.913Z
2016-10-08T09:27:08.090Z
2016-10-08T09:27:08.090Z
Gangosa
<p>Be the best of the best is essentially what it means. Let's say you have a huge cock and it's the biggest in your family. Eventually, somebody will get a bigger cock than you, if you don't kept feeding it healthy diets everyday. Thus this 成语  also has a meaning of teaching people not to be arrogant when you are the best and kept getting harder work done everyday. For the above example, maybe feeding your cock a health diet is not enough because your family and your neighbors can do the same, so you may need to give your chicken more such as protein shake, meat and even medicine. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-08T10:30:51.523Z
2016-10-08T10:30:51.523Z
Atmega 328
<p>The idiom stands for constantly strive for improvement.</p>

<p>When I look at 精益求精, I read</p>

<p>Excellence increase seek excellence</p>

<p>But shouldn't it be</p>

<p>Excellence increase seek more excellence</p>

<p>Of course if you added 曾加
then it no longer be four characters long.</p>

<p>Is it a topic comment sentence:
As far as excellence goes, it is improvement that seeks it (excellence itself). (?)</p>

<p>Can someone please better explain the arrangement XY求X?</p>

<p>Are there other 成语 of this form?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-08T10:23:42.313Z
cf。＂汉语熟语小词典＂［精益求精］在好的基础上追求更好（精：完美。益：更加）。例：这位教授对工作总是精益求精，学生们都很佩服他。
jukuu: 益求: 9 example sentences, 7 containing abbreviation 益求精 only: endless perfection,everything until it's perfect, 1 with 善 instead of 精: 4.  Good is good, but better carries it. 精益求精，善益求善。
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-09T02:35:24.837Z
成语 with 求 as 3rd 字 imm. comes to mind：实事求事,实事求是
（s。dictionaries), for more 成语 with 求 as 3rd 字 s.e.g.包含-＂求＂-字的成语 wenku.baidu.com/view/e3fe4729bd64783e09122b59
user6065
<chengyu><saying>
精益求精, how to properly interpret this classical Chinese chengyu?
# 精益求精, how to properly interpret this classical Chinese chengyu?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-10-08)

The idiom stands for constantly strive for improvement.

When I look at 精益求精, I read

Excellence increase seek excellence

But shouldn't it be

Excellence increase seek more excellence

Of course if you added 曾加
then it no longer be four characters long.

Is it a topic comment sentence:
As far as excellence goes, it is improvement that seeks it (excellence itself). (?)

Can someone please better explain the arrangement XY求X?

Are there other 成语 of this form?

Thanks.

**Tags:** chengyu, saying

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: cf。＂汉语熟语小词典＂［精益求精］在好的基础上追求更好（精：完美。益：更加）。例：这位教授对工作总是精益求精，学生们都很佩服他。 jukuu: 益求: 9 example sentences, 7 containing abbreviation 益求精 only: endless perfection,everything until it's perfect, 1 with 善 instead of 精: 4.  Good is good, but better carries it. 精益求精，善益求善。  
> **username_1**: 成语 with 求 as 3rd 字 imm. comes to mind：实事求事,实事求是 （s。dictionaries), for more 成语 with 求 as 3rd 字 s.e.g.包含-＂求＂-字的成语 wenku.baidu.com/view/e3fe4729bd64783e09122b59  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-10-08. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

> **精** <http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/565/>
>
> [4] [adj] skilled; versed; **proficient**

~

> **益** <http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/1217/>
>
> [1] [v] increase; add to; augment [2] **in a higher degree**; to a greater extent; more

~

> 求 <http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/characters/883/>
>
> [2] **seek**

~

> **精益求精** <http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/dictionary/words/7244/>
>
> (idiom) **to constantly improve oneself**

```
Can someone please better explain the arrangement XY求X?

```

It is an idiom, not a sentence. Idioms do not have to follow normal grammar rules. You just have to look at each character within an idiom to construct a coherent meaning in your mind. In the case of 精益求精, it offers:

精 "proficient" (adj)

益 "in a higher degree" (adverb phrase) + 求 "seek" (V)

精 "proficient" (adj)

(and it does not constitute a sentence. )

> "*proficient in a higher degree seeking proficient*"

~

You have to decode the meaning with logical deduction and get:

> "*(someone already) proficient (still) seeking proficiency in a higher degree*"

But most of the time, it is best to learn the story of the idiom and memorize the meaning behind it.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: That explains it. Someone already proficient seeking more proficiency. Thanks.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-10-08. Score: 1

精益求精

Try this link:

<http://baike.baidu.com/link?url=O3VNmx4OycxEKxV6GQ6uqpaNw8ldIR9W4wmebs46jTG3Q_GrZ-DqJBmEMzX8x_qh1cYEjUFcTbhzyr_esEFtqsmZBCoWSVaiW2Qom_QqRXcvvI4d55sVR8miWs68jcOF>

精：完美；
jing: perfect

益：更加；
yi: even more

求：追求。
qiu: seek, want, desire

事物已经非常出色了，
Something already outstanding

却还要追求更加完美，
but still want even more perfect

好了还求更好。
good still want better.

Trying to improve on perfection

Perfection is not attainable. But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence. ~Vince Lombardi
Striving to better, oft we mar what's well. ~William Shakespeare, King Lear


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2016-10-08. Score: 0

Be the best of the best is essentially what it means. Let's say you have a huge cock and it's the biggest in your family. Eventually, somebody will get a bigger cock than you, if you don't kept feeding it healthy diets everyday. Thus this 成语 also has a meaning of teaching people not to be arrogant when you are the best and kept getting harder work done everyday. For the above example, maybe feeding your cock a health diet is not enough because your family and your neighbors can do the same, so you may need to give your chicken more such as protein shake, meat and even medicine.


---

