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16:31 Jul 6, 2009
Chinese to English translations [PRO] Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.
Chinese term or phrase:大浪淘沙
Context： 一个大浪淘沙的过程 Need an adjective if possible. Thanks.
Explanation: Also "filtering" or lai an's "winnowing" would do.
Other phrases that might be used, depending on context, include "sorting the wheat from the chaff," "sorting the men from the boys" and "cream rises to the top".
I am not sure this phrase can be translated without changing the structure a little. The author is evoking Darwinian selection, which is elegantly captured by the Chinese idiom, but not easily reduced to a single adjective in English.
I would use "a process of Darwinian survival" or "a selective process wherein the fit survive and the weak are eliminated" (thanks Denyce). "Selective" and "eliminative" are open to misinterpretation if used without qualifiers.
If you must have one word, I think lai an's "winnowing process" is the best (but even then, it begs for a qualifier, eg. "...is a winnowing process wherein the fit survive and the weak are eliminated").
Explanation: Also "filtering" or lai an's "winnowing" would do.
Other phrases that might be used, depending on context, include "sorting the wheat from the chaff," "sorting the men from the boys" and "cream rises to the top".
I am not sure this phrase can be translated without changing the structure a little. The author is evoking Darwinian selection, which is elegantly captured by the Chinese idiom, but not easily reduced to a single adjective in English.
I would use "a process of Darwinian survival" or "a selective process wherein the fit survive and the weak are eliminated" (thanks Denyce). "Selective" and "eliminative" are open to misinterpretation if used without qualifiers.
If you must have one word, I think lai an's "winnowing process" is the best (but even then, it begs for a qualifier, eg. "...is a winnowing process wherein the fit survive and the weak are eliminated").
Hope this helps.
Example sentence(s):
Recruitment Sifting is the process of applying one or more processes, or steps, in order to produce a short-list...
QuickSift is an effective addition to your candidate sifting process.
The translation workplace 
