物以类聚

Pronunciation: wù yǐ lèi jù Literal meaning: Things gather by kind

Origin & Usage

The idiom 物以类聚 (wù yǐ lèi jù) finds its roots in the ancient Chinese text 《易经·系辞上》 (Yì Jīng·Xì Cí Shàng), which states, '方以类聚，物以群分' (fāng yǐ lèi jù, wù yǐ qún fēn), meaning 'similar things group together, and things are divided by their kind.' This idiom was later exemplified in the Warring States period by the story of Chunyu Kun (淳于髡), a learned advisor in the state of Qi. He demonstrated the principle by recommending seven talented individuals to the king, explaining that like-minded people naturally gather together. The characters 物 (wù) mean 'things,' 以 (yǐ) means 'by,' 类 (lèi) means 'kind,' and 聚 (jù) means 'gather.' In modern usage, this idiom suggests that people or things of similar nature or interests tend to come together, highlighting the importance of choosing one's company wisely.

Examples

English: "In the world of business, like-minded individuals often come together to form successful partnerships."

Chinese: 在商业世界中，同类的人往往聚在一起形成成功的合作关系。