难兄难弟
难兄难弟 (nán xiōng nán dì) literally means “difficult elder and younger brothers” and expresses “companions united through shared hardship”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character. It originates from ancient Chinese literature and remains commonly used in modern Mandarin.
Also searched as: nan xiong nan di, nan xiong nan di,难兄难弟 meaning, 难兄难弟 in english
Companions united through shared hardship
Pronunciation: nán xiōng nán dì
Literal meaning: Difficult elder and younger brothers
Origin & Usage
This related idiom describes troubled (难) elder brother (兄) and troubled (难) younger brother (弟), originating from Qing Dynasty vernacular literature. It described families where siblings shared similar difficulties or misfortunes. The repetition of '难' (difficult) emphasized their common predicament, while the brother terms reflected the Confucian emphasis on fraternal relationships. During the Republican era, it expanded beyond blood relationships to describe any pair facing similar challenges. Unlike terms for simple partnership, it specifically emphasizes shared hardship as the bonding element. Modern usage describes companions in misfortune or associates connected through similar struggles, suggesting that shared difficulties often create stronger bonds than shared advantages.
Examples
English: "The two struggling companies formed an alliance to survive the market downturn"
Chinese: 这两家struggling公司结成联盟以度过市场低迷期
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Related Chinese Idioms
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 难兄难弟 mean in English?
难兄难弟 (nán xiōng nán dì) literally translates to “Difficult elder and younger brothers” and is used to express “Companions united through shared hardship”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.
When is 难兄难弟 used?
Situation: This idiom applies when describing situations involving companions united through shared hardship.
What is the pinyin for 难兄难弟?
The pinyin pronunciation for 难兄难弟 is “nán xiōng nán dì”.