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相依为命 (xiāng yī wèi mìng) — to depend on each other for survival; to be each other's lifeline (of two or more people in dire circumstances)

Definition

A chengyu for two people who have no one else and rely on each other to survive — usually in hardship or loss. Pairs often with family members or close companions, not romantic partners.

idiom
to depend on each other for survivalto be each other's lifeline (of two or more people in dire circumstances)

Examples

  • ，相依为命。
    Nǎi nai qù shì hòu, yé ye hé nà zhī lǎo māo xiāng yī wèi mìng.
    After grandmother passed away, grandfather and that old cat depended on each other for survival.
  • 相依为命，。
    Zhè duì mǔ nǚ zài zhàn luàn zhōng xiāng yī wèi mìng, zhōng yú děng lái le hé píng.
    This mother and daughter depended on each other for survival through the war and finally saw peace.
  • ，相依为命。
    Tā men xiōng dì liǎ cóng xiǎo shī qù fù mǔ, zhǐ néng xiāng yī wèi mìng.
    The two brothers lost their parents as children and had to depend on each other for survival.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

相依rely together
相xiāngmutual依yīdepend
偏正Modifier + head
为命make life
为wèimake命mìnglife
动宾Verb + object

相依 and 为命 combine two ideas: relying together and making life.

Characters in this word

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénhuman
Sound part声符shēngfú
衣
衣yī依yī
Same sound today

依 is made from 亻, a person, plus 衣, which gives its sound.

Open 依 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 為; 为 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 為 showed a hand holding an elephant; the simplified 为 is a later shorthand.

Open 为 →

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
令
令lìng命mìng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

命 combines 口, a mouth, with 令, which gives the sound.

Open 命 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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