expression
students surpass their masters
Proverb meaning that a student can exceed the teacher, just as ice, though formed from water, is colder than water. Often used to praise a student's achievement or to note that the next generation can outdo the previous one.
彼の作品は師匠のものを超えている。まさに氷は水より出でて水よりも寒しだ。
His work surpasses that of his master. Truly, the student has surpassed the teacher.
A similar proverb with the same meaning, literally 'blue comes from indigo but is bluer than indigo'. More common than 氷は水より出でて水よりも寒し.
A classical Japanese proverb derived from a Chinese source (the Xunzi), similar to 青は藍より出でて藍より青し. The ice metaphor is less common than the indigo version.