cái才talentgāo高highbā八eightdǒu斗peck
Talent measuring eight pecks — exceptionally gifted (especially in writing).
Literal meaning
talent (才) — high (高) — eight (八) — peck (斗)
Origin
A Southern Dynasties story about the poet Xie Lingyun (谢灵运), who declared: "All the literary talent in the world weighs ten pecks; Cao Zhi alone takes eight, I take one, and the rest of the world shares the last one." 才高八斗 became shorthand for surpassing literary or scholarly gift.
Examples
Zhè这wèi位zuò作jiā家cái才gāo高bā八dǒu斗，zuò作pǐn品hěn很yǒu有shēn深dù度。
This writer is exceptionally talented — his work has real depth.
Tā cái gāo bā dǒu, dàn tài jiāo'ào le.他才高八斗，但太骄傲了。
He's prodigiously gifted, but too arrogant.
Usage & nuances
Praise specifically of literary / scholarly talent. Less commonly used than general talent praises like 出类拔萃.
Learn idioms by speaking them
Idioms are most useful when they land in a real conversation. Practice them out loud in Kango — get instant feedback on tone and timing.
Download Kango on iOS