爱屋及乌

Pronunciation: ài wū jí wū Literal meaning: Love house and its crow

Origin & Usage

This tender expression describes how love (爱) for a house (屋) extends (及) even to the crow (乌) perched on its roof. Dating back to the Warring States period, it first appeared in texts discussing how affection naturally spreads to associated things. The crow, often considered an unremarkable bird, becomes precious merely through its connection to the beloved dwelling. Originally used to describe romantic attachment, it evolved to encompass broader situations where fondness extends beyond its primary object. Modern usage applies to showing kindness to someone's friends or family out of regard for that person, or appreciating aspects of something simply because of its connection to what we cherish.

Examples

English: "She loved her friend so much that she even cherished her friend's peculiar habits"

Chinese: 她如此喜欢她的朋友，连朋友的怪癖也觉得可爱