一唱一和 (yī chàng yī hé) — to echo each other (especially in an artificial or conspiratorial way), to act in collusion

Definition

An idiom for two people echoing each other, often with the sense that they planned it — a negative, conspiratorial ‘back-and-forth’, not neutral cooperation.

idiom
to echo each other (especially in an artificial or conspiratorial way)to act in collusion

Examples

  • 一唱一和,。
    Tā men liǎ zài huì yì shàng yī chàng yī hé, pèi hé dé hěn míng xiǎn.
    The two of them echoed each other at the meeting, coordinating very obviously.
  • 一唱一和,。
    Bié tīng tā men yī chàng yī hé de huà, nà shì shāng liang hǎo de.
    Don't listen to their back-and-forth — it's all pre-arranged.
  • 一唱一和,。
    Lǎo bǎn hé jīng lǐ yī chàng yī hé, bǎ zé rèn tuī gěi le yuán gōng.
    The boss and the manager echoed each other, shifting the blame to the employees.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

一唱one sings
主谓Subject + predicate
一和one harmonizes
一yīone和héharmonize
主谓Subject + predicate

One 唱 and the other 和, echoing each other.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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
Sound part声符shēngfú
昌
昌chāng唱chàng
Same sound today

The 口 part points to the mouth, while 昌 shows how the character is pronounced.

Open 唱 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
禾
禾hé和hé
Same sound today

和 pairs 禾, which gives the sound, with 口 (mouth), the meaning part; the reference connects this shape to harmony.

Open 和 →

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