相濡以沫
- Literal
- to moisten one another with spittle
- Figurative
- To look after each other through hard times with what little you have; said mostly of couples, in praise of their devotion.
Where does 相濡以沫 come from?
It comes from the 《庄子》, from the chapter "The Great and Venerable Teacher." Zhuangzi describes fish left stranded on land when the spring dries up: they breathe moisture onto each other and wet each other with spittle to survive. But this is no ideal to him: he adds that they would be better off forgetting one another in the rivers and lakes, and compares it to praising Yao and condemning Jie, when it is better to forget both and merge with the Way. The idiom keeps only the first half, as praise for those who stand by each other in hardship; the full line, with 相忘于江湖, is widely quoted too.
Source (出处): 《庄子·大宗师》
How is 相濡以沫 used? Two examples
- 那几年家里穷，爸妈相濡以沫，硬是把我们三个供上了大学。
We were poor in those years, but my parents stood by each other and somehow put all three of us through college.
- 在国外读书那几年，我和室友相濡以沫，一包泡面也分着吃。
During my years studying abroad, my roommate and I looked out for each other; we'd even split a single pack of instant noodles.
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