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IDIOMS · FRIENDSHIP

Chinese Idioms about Friendship & Trust

Chengyu about friendship, loyalty, and trust — 知音难觅, 患难之交, 一诺千金 — with origin stories where they come from a classical fable.

zhī知knowyīn音soundnán难hardmì觅find

A true kindred spirit is hard to find.

huàn患troublenàn难difficultyzhī之ofjiāo交friend

Friends made in hard times — friends who stood by you in adversity.

yí一onenuò诺promiseqiān千thousandjīn金gold

A single promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold — a word given is a word kept.

tuī推pushxīn心heartzhì置placefù腹belly

Push your heart into another's belly — speak with complete openness, trust held back nothing.

mò莫notnì逆contraryzhī之ofjiāo交friend

Friends who never cross each other — bosom friends in perfect accord.

zhì志ambitiontóng同samedào道pathhé合match

Same ambitions, same path — like-minded companions.

gān肝liverdǎn胆gallxiāng相mutuallyzhào照shine

Liver and gall shining at each other — bound by total trust and honesty.

tóng同sharegān甘sweetgòng共togetherkǔ苦bitter

Share the sweet and the bitter — go through everything together.

yí一onejiàn见seerú如likegù故old

Feel like old friends at first meeting — instant rapport.

liǎng两twoxiǎo小youngwú无nocāi猜suspicion

Two children with no guardedness between them — innocent childhood companions.

xīn心heartxīn心heartxiāng相mutuallyyìn印imprint

Hearts imprinted on each other — in perfect mutual understanding.

qíng情feelingtóu投matchyì意intentionhé合agree

Feelings match, minds agree — a perfect rapport.

bēi悲sorrowhuān欢joylí离separationhé合reunion

Joys and sorrows, partings and reunions; the vicissitudes of life.

bù不notmóu谋planér而andhé合coincide

To agree without prior consultation; to coincide.

bù不notyuē约agreeér而andtóng同same

To do the same thing without prior consultation; to coincide.

gé格squaregé格squarebù不notrù入enter

Incompatible; out of tune with; not fitting in.

gū孤singlezhǎng掌palmnán难difficultmíng鸣sound

A single hand cannot clap; it's difficult to achieve anything alone.

jiē皆alldà大bighuān欢happyxǐ喜happy

Everyone is happy; a happy ending for all.

lǐ礼courtesyshàng尚esteemwǎng往golái来come

Courtesy demands reciprocity; to return politeness for politeness.

lì力strengthsuǒ所bynéng能canjí及reach

Within one's power; as far as one's capabilities extend.

liàn恋yearnliàn恋yearnbù不notshě舍willing to part

Reluctant to leave; unwilling to part.

méi眉eyebrowskāi开openyǎn眼eyesxiào笑smile

To beam with joy; to be all smiles.

nán难difficultnéng能cankě可worthyguì贵value

Rare and commendable; estimable; praiseworthy.

píng萍duckweedshuǐ水waterxiāng相mutualféng逢meet

To meet by chance; casual acquaintance.

qí齐unitedxīn心heartxié协cooperatelì力strength

to work together with one heart; to be of one mind

qíng情feelingbù不notzì自selfjīn禁restrain

Unable to restrain one's emotions; to be overcome with emotion; to be unable to control oneself.

qīng青greenméi梅plumzhú竹bamboomǎ马horse

Childhood sweethearts; a couple who grew up together.

shēn深deepqíng情feelinghòu厚thickyì谊friendship

deep affection and profound friendship

sù素originallybù不notxiāng相mutuallyshí识know

Never met before; completely unacquainted.

tiān天heavencháng长longdì地earthjiǔ久lasting

As eternal and unchanging as the universe; everlasting; forever.

tóng同samezhōu舟boatgòng共togetherjì济cross

To cross a river in the same boat; to be in the same boat; to stick together in difficulties; to share weal and woe.

wù物thingsyǐ以bylèi类kindjù聚gather

Birds of a feather flock together; like attracts like.

xī息breathxī息breathxiāng相mutuallyguān关related

closely linked; intimately related

xīn心heartgān甘sweetqíng情feelingyuàn愿willing

Be perfectly happy to; be completely willing.

xīn心heartzhào照understandbù不notxuān宣announce

An understanding reached without words; a tacit agreement.

xíng形formyǐng影shadowbù不notlí离separate

Inseparable as form and shadow; always together.

yī依reluctantyī依reluctantbù不notshě舍willing to part

Unwilling to part; full of reluctance.

zhāo朝morningxī夕eveningxiāng相each otherchǔ处be together

to be together from morning till night; to spend a lot of time together

zhòng众manyzhì志willchéng成buildchéng城city wall

unity is strength; many hearts build a city wall

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