相濡以沫
xiāng rú yǐ mò
to help each other through hard times
Character by character
相xiāng
mutual
mutual
濡rú
moisten
moisten
以yǐ
with
with
沫mò
spittle
spittle
Example
老两口相濡以沫五十年，从来没红过脸。
The old couple have stood by each other for fifty years and have never had a cross word.
Tone: positive (praise).
Usage and origin
From 《大宗师》: when the spring dries up, fish stranded together keep each other wet with their spittle. Today a byword for a devoted marriage. 庄子 himself goes on 不如相忘于江湖: better still to be free in the rivers and lakes and forget each other.
Learn this in Lesson 231 · HSK 9+: 庄子 (Zhuangzi, the laughing philosopher)
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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