# 集思广益

jí sī guǎng yì

Draw on everyone’s ideas

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Gather thoughts and expand the benefit

**Traditional Chinese:** 集思廣益

**Register:** Positive · workplace

[Choices & judgment](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/decisions)

## When to use it

Use for inviting different perspectives to improve a decision.

It requires considering the ideas, not merely collecting comments.

## Behind the words

A letter attributed to Zhuge Liang describes drawing on many people’s thinking to gain useful results. The phrase remains common in collaborative work.

集 emphasizes gathering, 思 points to thinking, and 广益 suggests broader benefit. The expression praises drawing on several people's knowledge to improve a decision or solution. Merely holding a meeting is insufficient: contributions should have a real chance to shape the outcome. It is especially natural when inviting suggestions before a plan is finalized.

## Examples

这个方案还不成熟，我们一起集思广益吧。

### Traditional Chinese

這個方案還不成熟，我們一起集思廣益吧。

zhè ge fāng àn hái bù chéng shú ， wǒ men yì qǐ jí sī guǎng yì ba 。

This plan isn’t ready yet; let’s improve it by pooling our ideas.

设计新校服前，学校请学生和家长一起集思广益。

### Traditional Chinese

設計新校服前，學校請學生和家長一起集思廣益。

shè jì xīn xiào fú qián ， xué xiào qǐng xué shēng hé jiā zhǎng yì qǐ jí sī guǎng yì 。

Before designing new uniforms, the school gathered ideas from students and parents.

这个问题没有现成答案，我们不妨集思广益。

### Traditional Chinese

這個問題沒有現成答案，我們不妨集思廣益。

zhè ge wèn tí méi yǒu xiàn chéng dá àn ， wǒ men bù fáng jí sī guǎng yì 。

There is no ready-made answer to this problem; we could draw on everyone's ideas.

她把各部门请到一起，集思广益，寻找减少浪费的方法。

### Traditional Chinese

她把各部門請到一起，集思廣益，尋找減少浪費的方法。

tā bǎ gè bù mén qǐng dào yì qǐ ， jí sī guǎng yì ， xún zhǎo jiǎn shǎo làng fèi de fāng fǎ 。

She brought the departments together to find ways of reducing waste through shared ideas.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 4, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=721&q=1&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E9%9B%86%E6%80%9D%E5%BB%A3%E7%9B%8A)

## Keep exploring

- [见利忘义 jiàn lì wàng yì Abandon principle for personal gain ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/jian-li-wang-yi)

- [见异思迁 jiàn yì sī qiān Keep changing interests when something new appears ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/jian-yi-si-qian)

- [将计就计 jiāng jì jiù jì Turn another person’s scheme against them ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/jiang-ji-jiu-ji)

- [狡兔三窟 jiǎo tù sān kū Keep several routes of escape or backup plans ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/jiao-tu-san-ku)

## Keep this one close.

Save useful idioms, read offline, and revisit them with flashcards in Almanac.

[View on the App Store ](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6819590452)

[Previous idiom 积少成多 ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/ji-shao-cheng-duo) [Next idiom 既往不咎 ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/ji-wang-bu-jiu)