骨肉分离
gǔ ròu fēn lí
parents and children (or close kin) torn apart
Character by character
骨gǔ
bone
bone
肉ròu
flesh
flesh
分fēn
part
part
离lí
separate
separate
Example
那场战争让无数家庭骨肉分离，很多人几十年后才再次见面。
That war tore countless families apart, and many met again only decades later.
Tone: neutral.
Usage and origin
骨肉 is one’s own flesh and blood. Said of wars, disasters, abductions and borders that split families, often as 骨肉分离之痛 (the pain of separation); the happy ending is 骨肉团聚.
Learn this in Lesson 153 · HSK 7–9: 宝贝回家 (Bringing the children home)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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