志同道合 (zhì tóng dào hé) — (idiom) to share the same ideals and follow the same path; like-minded; (idiom) congenial in outlook and purpose

Definition

A chengyu describing people who share the same ideals and pursue the same goals — used for deep, principled compatibility (often in work or friendships), stronger than just ‘getting along.’

idiom
to share the same ideals and follow the same pathlike-mindedcongenial in outlook and purpose

Examples

  • 志同道合
    Wǒ men jǐ gè zhì tóng dào hé de péng you yì qǐ chuàng bàn le zhè jiā gōng sī.
    A few like-minded friends and I founded this company together.
  • 志同道合
    Hé zuò de guān jiàn zài yú zhǎo dào zhì tóng dào hé de huǒ bàn.
    The key to collaboration is finding partners who share your ideals.
  • 志同道合
    Tā men suī rán lái zì bù tóng guó jiā, què yīn wèi zhì tóng dào hé ér chéng le zhì yǒu.
    Although they come from different countries, they became close friends because they are like-minded.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

志同aspirations alike
zhìaspirationtóngsame
主谓Subject + predicate
道合paths agree
dàopathagree
主谓Subject + predicate

"志同" says aspirations are alike, and "道合" says the paths agree.

Characters in this word

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
zhīzhì
Same sound today

志 has 心, the heart, below and a simplified top from 之 for sound.

Open 志 →

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 →

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
xíngstreet
zhǐfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
𩠐
shǒudào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Early 道 showed a street 行, a foot 止, and a part written 首 or 𩠐; the right part of 行 later disappeared.

Open 道 →

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

合 shows 亼 and 口 arranged as two mouths speaking together.

Open 合 →

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