"脱颖而出" is formed from a historical anecdote in which Mao Sui used the metaphor of an awl placed in a bag to describe how talent reveals itself; the character 脱 denotes breaking through, 颖 refers to the sharp tip of an awl, 而 is a connective particle, and 出 means to emerge, together literally depicting the awl's tip piercing out of the bag to symbolize prominent display of ability.