- 青出于蓝 qīngchūyúlán the pupil surpasses the teacherLiterally meaning that indigo dye comes from the indigo plant but is bluer than the plant itself; used to describe a student who surpasses their teacher or a younger generation that excels beyond its predecessors.
- 青出于蓝而胜于蓝 qīngchūyúlán'érshèngyúlán the student surpasses the masterLiterally meaning that indigo blue comes from the indigo plant but is bluer than the plant itself; used to describe a student who excels beyond their teacher or a successor who outdoes their predecessor.