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一枝獨秀

简一枝独秀 · 繁一枝獨秀

Mandarin · pinyin yī zhī dú xiù

lit. only one branch of the tree is thriving (idiom)
fig. to be in a league of one's own
outstanding

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Characters in this entry

一: yī · one; a, an; alone
枝: zhī · branches, limbs; branch off
獨: Look up this written character
秀: xiù · ear of grain; flowering, luxuriant; refined, elegant, graceful
独: dú · alone, single, solitary, only

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

1–1–2–4 · yi1 zhi1 du2 xiu4

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

一枝獨秀 · find source passages ↗ · 一枝独秀 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

jat1 zi1 duk6 sau3

Cantonese word readings for 一枝獨秀. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(idiomatic) to be the most outstanding

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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