Korean Four-Character Idioms
타산지석
他山之石
Word for word
“a stone from another mountain”
What it means
Learning from other people's mistakes.
When you'd use it
Using a competitor's failure as a lesson.
Example
다른 회사의 실수를 타산지석으로 삼자.Let's learn from the other company's mistake.
Frequently asked questions
What does 타산지석 (他山之石) mean?
타산지석 (他山之石) is a Korean four-character idiom: learning from other people's mistakes.
What are the Chinese characters in 타산지석?
타산지석 is written 他山之石 in hanja (Chinese characters), literally “a stone from another mountain”.
When do Koreans use 타산지석?
Typical use: using a competitor's failure as a lesson.
How do you use 타산지석 in a sentence?
“다른 회사의 실수를 타산지석으로 삼자.” means “Let's learn from the other company's mistake.”