相濡以沫 Xiāng rú yǐ mò mutual support

Explanation

形容在困境中互相帮助。

Describes mutual help in difficult situations.

Origin Story

战国时期，庄子家境贫寒，常常为一日三餐发愁。一天，妻子催促他外出借粮，他来到监河侯府上求助。监河侯却推脱说秋天再给他粮食。庄子无奈地摇摇头，说这是‘远水救不了近火’。妻子又劝他再去别家借粮，庄子却说：‘与其四处奔波，不如像池塘里即将干涸的鱼儿一样，相濡以沫，共渡难关。’妻子听后，默默流泪，她深知丈夫的清高和不善变通，但也理解他宁愿忍受贫困也不愿违背自己内心原则的性格。于是，她默默地承担起家里的重担，省吃俭用，希望能为这个家撑起一片天。就这样，庄子和妻子在贫困中相濡以沫，互相扶持，最终渡过了难关，写下了这千古佳话。

zhàn guó shí qī, zhuāng zi jiā jìng pín hán, cháng cháng wèi yī rì sān cān fā chóu. yī tiān, qī zi cuī cù tā wài chū jiè liáng, tā lái dào jiàn hé hóu fǔ shàng qiú zhù. jiàn hé hóu què tuī tuō shuō qiū tiān zài gěi tā liáng shí. zhuāng zi wú nài de yáo yáo tóu, shuō zhè shì ‘yuǎn shuǐ jiù bù liǎo jìn huǒ’. qī zi yòu quàn tā zài qù bié jiā jiè liáng, zhuāng zi què shuō: ‘yǐ qí sì chù bēn bō, bù rú xiàng chí táng lǐ jí jiāng gān hé de yú ér yī yàng, xiāng rú yǐ mò, gòng dù nán guān.’ qī zi tīng hòu, mò mò liú lèi, tā shēn zhī zhàng fū de qīng gāo hé bù shàn biàn tōng, dàn yě lǐ jiě tā nìng yuàn rěn shòu pín kùn yě bù yuàn wéi bèi zì jǐ nèi xīn yuán zé de xìng gé. yú shì, tā mò mò de chéng dān qǐ jiā lǐ de zhòng dàn, shěng chī jiǎn yòng, shī wàng néng wèi zhège jiā chēng qǐ yī piàn tiān. jiù zhè yàng, zhuāng zi hé qī zi zài pín kùn zhōng xiāng rú yǐ mò, hù xiāng fú chí, zuì zhōng dù guò le nán guān, xiě xià le zhè qiān gǔ jiā huà.

During the Warring States period, Zhuangzi, a poor man, often worried about his daily meals. One day, his wife urged him to borrow some grain, so he went to the wealthy and influential Lord Jianhe for help. However, Lord Jianhe simply put him off, suggesting he return in the autumn. Zhuangzi sighed, knowing that this was like waiting for far-off water to extinguish a nearby fire. His wife urged him to try other houses. But Zhuangzi instead used the metaphor of fish in a drying pond, clinging to each other with their last breaths of moisture. He and his wife would survive together using only what little they had. His wife, moved by his determination to remain true to himself, accepted their meager existence with unwavering resolve. This incident became known as a testament to their unwavering support in the face of adversity.

Usage

形容在困境中互相帮助，同舟共济。

xiáoróng zài kùnjìng zhōng hù xiāng bāngzhù, tóng zhōu gòng jì

Describes mutual help and support in difficult times; describes cooperation in a critical situation.

Examples

• 危难之时，朋友之间才能看出谁是真正值得相濡以沫的。

  wēi nàn zhī shí, péng yǒu zhī jiān cái néng kàn chū shuí shì zhēn zhèng zhí dé xiāng rú yǐ mò de. suī rán shēng huó bù yì, dàn wǒ men yī rán xiāng rú yǐ mò, hù xiāng fú chí.

  In times of crisis, only then can we see who are the true friends who are worthy of mutual support.

• 虽然生活不易，但我们依然相濡以沫，互相扶持。

  Despite the hardships of life, we still help each other and support each other.

Related Idioms

• 同甘共苦

• 患难与共

• 风雨同舟

Opposite Idioms

• 自私自利

• 落井下石