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同舟共济 (tóng zhōu gòng jì) — (idiom) to be in the same boat; to work together to overcome difficulties; (figurative) shared interests requiring collaboration

Definition

A chengyu for facing a shared crisis together: literally "cross in the same boat." Stresses necessity born of common peril; 齐心协力 stresses voluntary, unified effort toward any goal.

idiom
to be in the same boatto work together to overcome difficulties
phrase
(figurative) shared interests requiring collaboration

Examples

  • ，同舟共济，。
    Zài zhè ge xiàng mù zhōng, wǒ men yào tóng zhōu gòng jì, cái néng chéng gōng.
    In this project, we must work together to succeed.
  • 同舟共济，。
    Liǎng guó rén mín tóng zhōu gòng jì, gòng tóng yìng duì tiǎo zhàn.
    The people of both countries are in the same boat, jointly facing challenges.
  • ，同舟共济，。
    Miàn duì yì qíng, dà jiā tóng zhōu gòng jì, hù xiāng bāng zhù.
    Facing the epidemic, everyone is in the same boat, helping each other.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

同 originally drew a pipe. It is the old form of 筒.

Open 同 →

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

舟 was originally a drawing of a boat.

Open 舟 →

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

  • 廾廾gǒngtwo hands
  • 口口kǒuan object

共 shows 廾, two hands, holding up an object. That object was written 口 and later became the 廿-like top.

Open 共 →

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 濟; 济 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
齊
齊qí濟jì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 濟 pairs 水 (water) with 齊, which gives the sound; the simplified 济 is a later shorthand.

Open 济 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Groups & OrganizationsIdioms & Set Phrases

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