投桃报李 repay kindness with kindness
Explanation
比喻友好往来或互相赠送东西。
It means friendly exchanges or mutual gifts.
Origin Story
从前，有两个村庄，一个叫桃花村，一个叫李子村。桃花村的人们善良热情，常常赠送李子村的人们新鲜的桃子。李子村的人们收到桃子后，也用自己种植的李子回赠桃花村。两村村民就这样互相赠送礼物，友好相处，成为了好邻居。 后来，一个年轻人，他来自一个远离这两个村庄的陌生地方，他见识了这两个村庄的村民们互相赠送礼物，友好相处，他内心感到非常感动。他决定向这两个村庄学习，以后也要像他们一样，以诚待人，与人为善。 从此以后，这两个村庄的友谊更加深厚，他们的故事也传遍了四面八方，成为了一个美好的传说。
Once upon a time, there were two villages, one called Peach Village and the other called Plum Village. The people of Peach Village were kind and hospitable, often sending fresh peaches to the people of Plum Village. After receiving the peaches, the people of Plum Village also sent back their own grown plums to Peach Village. Thus, the villagers of both villages exchanged gifts and lived in peace with each other, becoming good neighbors. Later, a young man from a distant village witnessed the friendly relationship between these two villages. He was deeply moved by their kindness and helpfulness. He decided to learn from these two villages and always be honest and kind to others. From then on, the friendship between the two villages became even stronger, and their story spread far and wide, becoming a beautiful legend.
Usage
用于形容人际关系的友好往来，或互相赠送礼物。
Used to describe the friendly relationship between people, or the mutual exchange of gifts.
Examples
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邻里之间应该投桃报李，互相帮助。
línlǐ zhī jiān yīnggāi tóu táo bào lǐ, hù xiāng bāngzhù.
Neighbors should reciprocate each other's kindness and help each other.
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他经常帮助我，我也应该投桃报李，回报他的恩情。
tā jīngcháng bāngzhù wǒ, wǒ yě yīnggāi tóu táo bào lǐ, huí bào tā de ēnqíng
He often helps me, so I should reciprocate his kindness and repay his favor.