手足之情
手足之情 (shǒu zú zhī qíng) literally means “affection of hands and feet” and expresses “brotherly affection”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character.
Also searched as: shou zu zhi qing, shou zu zhi qing,手足之情 meaning, 手足之情 in english
Brotherly affection
Pronunciation: shǒu zú zhī qíng Literal meaning: Affection of hands and feet
Origin & Usage
Hands (手) and feet (足) have named brothers in Chinese since antiquity, and the metaphor is exact in a way that most kinship metaphors are not: they are separate limbs of one body, they cannot be exchanged for others, and losing one is not the sort of loss that is repaired. The affection (情) named here rests on that. Modern usage has widened it to friends close enough to count as family, and it appears constantly in appeals for solidarity, where the claim being made is that the parties are not really separate parties at all.
Examples
English: "Their bond was evident in the way they supported each other through thick and thin."
Chinese: 他们之间的手足之情在于无论何时都互相支持。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about relationships & character
情同手足
qíng tóng shǒu zú
Sibling-like bond
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手足无措
shǒu zú wú cuò
At a loss; flustered
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待人热情
dài rén rè qíng
Treat others with genuine warmth and enthusiasm
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心甘情愿
xīn gān qíng yuàn
Willingly; without reluctance
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情投意合
qíng tóu yì hé
Be perfectly compatible; hit it off
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一见钟情
yī jiàn zhōng qíng
Love at first sight
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眉目传情
méi mù chuán qíng
Non-verbal affection
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画蛇添足
huà shé tiān zú
Ruin by adding extras
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 手足之情 mean in English?
手足之情 (shǒu zú zhī qíng) literally translates to “Affection of hands and feet” and is used to express “Brotherly affection”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.
When is 手足之情 used?
Situation: Their bond was evident in the way they supported each other through thick and thin.
What is the pinyin for 手足之情?
The pinyin pronunciation for 手足之情 is “shǒu zú zhī qíng”.