8 Chinese Idioms About Teamwork & Cooperation

Face challenges together

Literal meaning: 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...

Share hardships together

Literal meaning: 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...

Accept all with open mind

Literal meaning: 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...

Value harmony above all

Literal meaning: 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...

Treat others as yourself

Literal meaning: 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...

Offer modest view to inspire better

Literal meaning: 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...

Follow local customs

Literal meaning: 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...

Two goals with one action

Literal meaning: 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) - ...