相濡以沫

Pronunciation: xiāng rú yǐ mò Literal meaning: Moisten each other with spittle

Origin & Usage

The Zhuangzi: when the spring dries up the fish are left together on land, blowing damp air on one another and wetting each other (相濡) with foam (以沫) — and then the sentence turns, 不如相忘于江湖, better than this would be to forget each other in the rivers and lakes. Zhuangzi is arguing against the situation, not admiring it. Chinese kept the image and dropped the argument, and it is now among the warmest things that can be said about a marriage, which is worth knowing given where it came from.

Examples

English: "The elderly couple supported each other through their difficult years."

Chinese: 这对老夫妻在困难岁月里相濡以沫。