同仇敌忾
tóng chóu dí kài
united in anger against a common enemy
Character by character
同tóng
share
share
仇chóu
enmity
enmity
敌dí
resist
resist
忾kài
wrath
wrath
Example
面对外来的入侵，全国上下同仇敌忾。
Faced with invasion from outside, the whole country stood united against the enemy.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
From the 《诗经》 line 与子同仇 (“I share your foe”) and the 《左传》 phrase 敌王所忾 (“to fight the one the king is angry with”); 敌 is a verb, “to oppose”, and 忾 kài is “wrath”. Said of a nation or group closing ranks against an aggressor, and, half in jest, of fans against a rival team.
Learn this in Lesson 205 · HSK 7–9: 飞虎队与驼峰航线 (The Flying Tigers and the Hump)
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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