jiéchū: 杰出 - Outstanding, Distinguished, Remarkable

• Keywords: 杰出, jiéchū, outstanding in Chinese, distinguished in Chinese, remarkable in Chinese, 杰出青年, outstanding person, how to say prominent in Chinese, famous Chinese people, HSK 5 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn how to use 杰出 (jiéchū), a powerful Chinese adjective meaning “outstanding,” “distinguished,” or “remarkable.” This guide explains its cultural significance, formal usage, and how it differs from words like “excellent” (优秀). Perfect for describing world-class individuals, groundbreaking achievements, and major contributions, 杰出 (jiéchū) is a key term for expressing high praise in formal contexts.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jié chū
• Part of Speech: Adjective
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: Outstanding, distinguished, prominent; far surpassing the average.
• In a Nutshell: `杰出` is not your everyday compliment. Think of it as the “Hall of Fame” of adjectives. You use it for people, works, or achievements that are truly exceptional and widely recognized. It implies a level of greatness that sets someone or something far apart from their peers—like a Nobel Prize winner, a legendary artist, or a revolutionary invention. It carries a heavy weight of respect and admiration.

• 杰 (jié): This character originally referred to a hero, a champion, or a person of extraordinary talent. Think of it as representing someone with heroic or superior abilities.
• 出 (chū): This character means “to go out,” “to emerge,” or “to come forth.” It pictorially suggests something moving from inside to outside.

When combined, `杰出` (jiéchū) creates a vivid image: a heroic, talented person (杰) who emerges or stands out (出) from the crowd. The meaning is literally “to stand out as a hero.”

In Chinese culture, achievement is often viewed not just as a personal success, but as a contribution to a larger group—the family, the community, or the nation. The term `杰出` is deeply tied to this value. A `杰出` person isn't just skilled; they are a role model who has made a significant, positive impact. Their success brings honor to their community and sets an example for others. A useful comparison for Western learners is to contrast `杰出` with the English word “excellent.” You might say a student's essay is “excellent,” or you had an “excellent” meal. In Chinese, you would use `优秀 (yōuxiù)` for an excellent student and `很棒 (hěn bàng)` for a great meal. You would not use `杰出`. `杰出` is reserved for a higher plane of achievement. For example, you would call Marie Curie a `杰出`的科学家 (an outstanding scientist) because her work changed the world. The term implies a lasting legacy and public acclaim, much like the English words “distinguished” or “eminent.”

`杰出` is a formal and respectful term. You will most often encounter it in written language, formal speeches, news reports, documentaries, and award ceremonies. It is rarely used in casual, everyday conversation.

• Describing People: Used for individuals who have reached the pinnacle of their field.
  • `一位杰出的艺术家` (yí wèi jiéchū de yìshùjiā) - A distinguished artist.
  • `杰出的领袖` (jiéchū de lǐngxiù) - An outstanding leader.
• Describing Achievements & Contributions: Used for accomplishments that have a major impact.
  • `做出了杰出的贡献` (zuòchū le jiéchū de gòngxiàn) - Made an outstanding contribution.
  • `取得了杰出的成就` (qǔdéle jiéchū de chéngjiù) - Gained remarkable achievements.
• In Official Titles/Awards: It is frequently part of the name for prestigious awards.
  • `十大杰出青年` (Shí Dà Jiéchū Qīngnián) - “The Ten Outstanding Young Persons,” a well-known award in many Chinese-speaking regions.

• Example 1:
• 他因在物理学领域的杰出贡献而获得了诺贝尔奖。
• Pinyin: Tā yīn zài wùlǐxué lǐngyù de jiéchū gòngxiàn ér huòdéle Nuòbèi'ěr jiǎng.
• English: He won the Nobel Prize for his outstanding contributions in the field of physics.
• Analysis: This is a classic use of `杰出`. It describes a contribution of the highest possible caliber, recognized by a world-famous award.
• Example 2:
• 这位导演一生创作了许多杰出的电影作品。
• Pinyin: Zhè wèi dǎoyǎn yìshēng chuàngzuòle xǔduō jiéchū de diànyǐng zuòpǐn.
• English: This director created many distinguished film works throughout his life.
• Analysis: Here, `杰出` modifies “film works,” indicating they are not just good, but are considered masterworks of the art form.
• Example 3:
• 她被公认为我们这个时代最杰出的音乐家之一。
• Pinyin: Tā bèi gōngrèn wéi wǒmen zhège shídài zuì jiéchū de yīnyuèjiā zhīyī.
• English: She is widely recognized as one of the most outstanding musicians of our time.
• Analysis: The phrase `被公认为 (bèi gōngrèn wéi)`, “to be publicly recognized as,” often appears with `杰出`, highlighting that the quality is not just a personal opinion but a public consensus.
• Example 4:
• 公司的成功离不开他杰出的领导能力。
• Pinyin: Gōngsī de chénggōng líbukāi tā jiéchū de lǐngdǎo nénglì.
• English: The company's success is inseparable from his outstanding leadership skills.
• Analysis: This sentence uses `杰出` in a formal business context to praise a leader's ability, implying their leadership was a critical factor in achieving great success.
• Example 5:
• 每年，我们都会评选出公司的“杰出员工”。
• Pinyin: Měi nián, wǒmen dōu huì píngxuǎn chū gōngsī de “jiéchū yuángōng”.
• English: Every year, we select the company's “Outstanding Employee”.
• Analysis: While `优秀员工 (yōuxiù yuángōng)` (excellent employee) is more common, using `杰出员工` elevates the award to a higher level of prestige.
• Example 6:
• 他是一位历史学家，对中国古代史有杰出的研究。
• Pinyin: Tā shì yí wèi lìshǐxuéjiā, duì Zhōngguó gǔdài shǐ yǒu jiéchū de yánjiū.
• English: He is a historian who has done distinguished research on ancient Chinese history.
• Analysis: `杰出` is used here to describe the quality and impact of his academic research, implying it is authoritative and highly respected.
• Example 7:
• 这位年轻的运动员展现了杰出的才能。
• Pinyin: Zhè wèi niánqīng de yùndòngyuán zhǎnxiànle jiéchū de cáinéng.
• English: This young athlete has demonstrated remarkable talent.
• Analysis: Here, `杰出` describes `才能 (cáinéng)` (talent), suggesting a level of natural ability that is far beyond ordinary.
• Example 8:
• 他的演讲非常杰出，赢得了所有人的掌声。
• Pinyin: Tā de yǎnjiǎng fēicháng jiéchū, yíngdéle suǒyǒu rén de zhǎngshēng.
• English: His speech was truly outstanding, winning applause from everyone.
• Analysis: While you might say a speech was `很棒 (hěn bàng)`, using `杰出` implies it was masterful, persuasive, and memorable—a truly top-tier performance.
• Example 9:
• 作为一名外科医生，她拥有杰出的技术。
• Pinyin: Zuòwéi yī míng wàikē yīshēng, tā yōngyǒu jiéchū de jìshù.
• English: As a surgeon, she possesses outstanding skills.
• Analysis: In a high-stakes profession like surgery, `杰出` is used to denote a level of skill that is life-saving and exceptionally rare.
• Example 10:
• 与同代人相比，他的成就确实是杰出的。
• Pinyin: Yǔ tóngdài rén xiāngbǐ, tā de chéngjiù quèshí shì jiéchū de.
• English: Compared to his contemporaries, his achievements are truly prominent.
• Analysis: This sentence explicitly uses comparison (`与…相比`) to frame why `杰出` is the appropriate word. It emphasizes rising above one's peers.

• Mistake 1: Using `杰出` for everyday things.
  • This is the most common error. A beginner might be tempted to use `杰出` to say something is “very good.”
  • WRONG: 这个比萨饼很杰出。 (Zhège bǐsàbǐng hěn jiéchū.) → “This pizza is outstanding.”
  • WHY IT'S WRONG: `杰出` is too formal and grand for food. It sounds unnatural and even comical.
  • CORRECT: 这个比萨饼很好吃 (hěn hǎochī) / 很棒 (hěn bàng).
• Mistake 2: Confusing `杰出 (jiéchū)` with `优秀 (yōuxiù)`
  • This is a subtle but important distinction. Both mean “excellent” or “outstanding,” but they exist on different scales.
  • `优秀 (yōuxiù)` means “excellent.” It's used for someone who meets a very high standard. It's common in school and work. E.g., `优秀学生` (excellent student), `优秀员工` (excellent employee).
  • `杰出 (jiéchū)` means “distinguished” or “prominent.” It's for someone who not only meets the standard but defines a new one. They are famous or have a legacy.
  • Analogy: In a class of 100 students, there might be 10 `优秀` students. There will likely be zero `杰出` students unless one of them goes on to cure a disease or win a Fields Medal. All `杰出` people are `优秀`, but not all `优秀` people are `杰出`.

• 优秀 (yōuxiù) - Excellent. A very common term for high quality, but a step below `杰出` in terms of prestige and impact.
• 卓越 (zhuóyuè) - Brilliant, remarkable. A close synonym to `杰出` and equally formal. It often emphasizes performance and quality, like `卓越的成就` (brilliant achievements).
• 出色 (chūsè) - Remarkable, splendid. Literally “to stand out in color.” It's slightly less formal than `杰出` and can describe a single great performance (e.g., `表现很出色` - the performance was remarkable).
• 非凡 (fēifán) - Extraordinary, uncommon. This word emphasizes the “out of the ordinary” nature of a person or their ability.
• 天才 (tiāncái) - Genius. Refers to innate, god-given talent, whereas `杰出` describes recognized achievement which can come from hard work as well as talent.
• 贡献 (gòngxiàn) - Contribution. A key concept often paired with `杰出`, as distinguished people are expected to make great contributions.
• 成就 (chéngjiù) - Accomplishment, achievement. `杰出` is an adjective used to describe the high quality of an `成就`.
• 领袖 (lǐngxiù) - Leader. A person with `杰出` abilities in a particular field is often considered a leader or role model.
• 英雄 (yīngxióng) - Hero. The character `杰` itself is related to heroism (`豪杰 háojié`), and a `杰出` person can be seen as a hero in their field.