交相辉映 (jiāo xiāng huī yìng) — (idiom) to complement each other, to enhance each other's beauty or effect

Definition

Literary idiom for two or more things enhancing each other's beauty — often light, color, or style. Used in writing and speeches, not everyday conversation.

idiom
to complement each other, to enhance each other's beauty or effect

Examples

  • 交相辉映，。
    Dēng guāng yǔ yuè sè jiāo xiāng huī yìng, bǎ zhěng gè hú miàn zhào dé rú tóng xiān jìng.
    The lights and moonlight complemented each other, illuminating the entire lake like a fairyland.
  • 交相辉映，。
    Hóng qiáng lǜ wǎ zài yáng guāng xià jiāo xiāng huī yìng, xiǎn de gé wài měi lì.
    The red walls and green tiles set each other off in the sunlight, looking especially beautiful.
  • 交相辉映，。
    Gǔ diǎn yǔ xiàn dài de fēng gé zài zhè zuò jiàn zhù zhōng jiāo xiāng huī yìng, lìng rén zàn tàn.
    The classical and modern styles complement each other in this building, inspiring admiration.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

交相mutually
交jiāomutually相xiāngmutually
联合Side by side
辉映shine and reflect
辉huīshine映yìngreflect
联合Side by side

交相 means mutually, and 辉映 means shine and reflect, together giving the sense of setting off each other.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

交 originally drew a human with crossed legs. In the modern shape, the upper part resembles a standing person.

Open 交 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

In 相, 目 is an eye and 木 is a tree, showing an eye looking at a tree; this originally meant “to observe.”

Open 相 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 輝; 辉 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
光光guānglight; bright
Sound part声符shēngfú
軍
軍jūn輝huī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 輝 uses 光, meaning light; bright, and 軍 to give its sound; the simplified 辉 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 辉 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
日日rìsun
Sound part声符shēngfú
央
央yāng映yìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

映 pairs 日, the sun, with 央 as a sound element.

Open 映 →

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