8 Chinese Idioms About Teamwork & Cooperation
Powerful Chinese idioms that celebrate collaboration, unity, and working together to achieve common goals.
From navigating treacherous rivers to building great empires, Chinese history is filled with stories of successful collaboration. These idioms capture the essence of working together and the strength found in unity.
同舟共济
tóng zhōu gòng jìFace challenges together
Literal: Cross river in same boat
This idiom shares deep connections with China's river-centric civilization, where crossing (济) together (共) in the same boat (同舟) was often a matter of life and death. Ancient texts tell of strangers becoming allies when facing treacherous waters, especially along the mighty Yangtze. During the Thre...
Example
The community united to help those affected by the disaster
社区团结起来帮助受灾群众
风雨同舟
fēng yǔ tóng zhōuShare hardships together
Literal: Share boat in wind and rain
Closely related to '同舟共济' but with added emotional depth, this idiom evokes sharing a boat (同舟) amid wind (风) and rain (雨). It first appeared in Song Dynasty poetry describing political allies weathering court intrigues together. The imagery draws from the experiences of river travelers who formed d...
Example
The partners stood by each other through business difficulties
合伙人在企业困难时期互相支持
海纳百川
hǎi nà bǎi chuānAccept all with open mind
Literal: Sea accepts hundred rivers
This idiom describes how the sea (海) accepts (纳) a hundred (百) rivers (川), celebrating inclusivity and breadth of mind. It first gained prominence during the Tang Dynasty, reflecting China's cosmopolitan golden age when the capital Chang'an welcomed influences from across Asia. The metaphor draws po...
Example
The company welcomed diverse perspectives and ideas
公司欢迎不同的观点和想法
以和为贵
yǐ hé wéi guìValue harmony above all
Literal: Value harmony as precious
This idiom, promoting harmony (和) as precious (贵), traces back to the Zhou Dynasty classic 'Guoyu,' reflecting early Chinese diplomatic philosophy. The concept gained renewed importance during the Tang Dynasty's cosmopolitan empire, where it guided both domestic governance and international relation...
Example
Instead of arguing, they found a compromise that benefited everyone
他们没有争吵，而是找到了一个对大家都有利的折中方案
以心换心
yǐ xīn huàn xīnTreat others as yourself
Literal: Exchange heart for heart
This idiom emerged during the Han Dynasty, expressing the profound concept of exchanging (换) one heart (心) for another (以). It first appeared in diplomatic texts describing the ideal approach to building trust between warring states. The repetition of '心' (heart) emphasizes genuine reciprocity rathe...
Example
She always remembers to help those who helped her
她总是记得回报帮助过她的人
抛砖引玉
pāo zhuān yǐn yùOffer modest view to inspire better
Literal: Throw brick attract jade
This elegant metaphor emerged from Tang Dynasty literary circles, where throwing (抛) a modest brick (砖) to attract (引) precious jade (玉) described the practice of sharing an simple poem to inspire superior verses from others. The story goes that a lesser-known poet presented his work to the great Li...
Example
She shared her initial idea hoping to inspire better suggestions
她分享了初步想法，希望能激发更好的建议
入乡随俗
rù xiāng suí súFollow local customs
Literal: Enter village follow customs
Dating back to the Warring States period, this idiom advises those who enter (入) a village (乡) to follow (随) local customs (俗). Historical accounts tell of diplomatic missions that succeeded or failed based on their adherence to this principle. The concept gained particular significance during the T...
Example
She adapted to local customs when working abroad
她在国外工作时入乡随俗
一石二鸟
yī shí èr niǎoTwo goals with one action
Literal: One stone two birds
A fascinating example of cross-cultural linguistic exchange, emerged during China's period of modernization in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a direct translation of the English phrase 'killing two birds with one stone.' While sharing similar words - one (一) stone (石) two (二) birds (鸟) - ...
Example
By cycling to work, she saved money and got exercise
骑自行车上班，她既省钱又锻炼身体
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