博采众长

You usually use this phrase as a verb or a guiding principle. You can say a project 'needs to' 博采众长. You can also use it to describe a person's style. If your friend's fashion sense is a mix of Tokyo street style and Parisian chic, they are practicing 博采众长. It sounds sophisticated but very positive. It shows you are humble enough to learn. It also shows you are smart enough to recognize quality in others. Use it when you want to sound like a visionary leader.

This phrase is a rockstar in professional settings. Use it during a brainstorming session to encourage diverse ideas. It is perfect for performance reviews when you want to praise someone's growth. In the arts, it is used to describe a unique style born from many influences. You might use it when talking about a fusion restaurant. 'This chef really knows how to 博采众长.' It also works when you are giving advice to someone starting a new hobby. Tell them to watch many masters and 'extensively collect their strengths.'

Do not use this if you are just straight-up copying someone. That is 抄袭 (plagiarism), not 博采众长. This phrase implies a level of selection and synthesis. If you just take one person's idea, it is not 'many' (众) strengths. Avoid using it for negative traits. You wouldn't 'draw on the collective wisdom' of how to be lazy. It is strictly for positive, constructive attributes. Also, if a situation requires a very strict, singular tradition—like a secret family recipe that cannot be changed—this phrase might feel like a threat to that purity.

This expression deeply reflects the Chinese value of humility and self-improvement. There is a famous saying by Confucius: 'When three people walk together, one of them must be my teacher.' 博采众长 is the practical application of that philosophy. It suggests that no one is perfect, but everyone has something they are best at. Historically, Chinese scholars and artists were expected to study various schools of thought before forming their own. It is about building on the shoulders of giants. It turns learning into a collaborative, community-based journey rather than a lonely one.

You will often hear 取长补短 (qǔ cháng bǔ duǎn). This is a close cousin. It means 'taking strengths to supplement weaknesses.' While 取长补短 is about fixing your flaws, 博采众长 is more about reaching a higher level of excellence. Another one is 集思广益 (jí sī guǎng yì). This specifically refers to gathering ideas during a discussion to get a better result. 博采众长 is broader and can apply to skills, styles, and philosophies, not just immediate ideas in a meeting.