# 拾人牙慧

shí rén yá huì

Repeat others' ideas without original thought

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Pick up scraps of others' speech

**Register:** Critical · literary

[Perspective](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/perspective)

## When to use it

Criticize borrowing opinions as one's own.

Proper attribution and synthesis are different.

## Understanding the expression

The image treats another person's words as scraps left behind and then gathered by someone else. Its criticism concerns a lack of independent thought, often combined with presenting borrowed ideas as original insight. Modern use appears in discussions of essays, criticism, and public commentary. Learning from other people is normal and valuable. The problem is merely echoing them without understanding, attribution, or a fresh contribution of one's own.

## Examples

这篇评论只是拾人牙慧。

### Traditional Chinese

這篇評論只是拾人牙慧。

zhè piān píng lùn zhǐ shì shí rén yá huì 。

This review merely repeats other people's ideas.

他不愿拾人牙慧，亲自做调查。

### Traditional Chinese

他不願拾人牙慧，親自做調查。

tā bú yuàn shí rén yá huì ， qīn zì zuò diào chá 。

He researched firsthand instead of echoing others.

没有分析，引用再多也是拾人牙慧。

### Traditional Chinese

沒有分析，引用再多也是拾人牙慧。

méi yǒu fēn xī ， yǐn yòng zài duō yě shì shí rén yá huì 。

Without analysis, many quotations can still amount to parroting.

她要求学生别拾人牙慧。

### Traditional Chinese

她要求學生別拾人牙慧。

tā yāo qiú xué shēng bié shí rén yá huì 。

She asks students to think rather than repeat others.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E6%8B%BE%E4%BA%BA%E7%89%99%E6%85%A7)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=115&webMd=1&la=0)

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