投桃報李

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Chinese

to throw; to send peach
 
to announce; to inform; report
to announce; to inform; report; newspaper; to repay; to recompense; revenge
 surname; plum
trad. (投桃報李) 投 桃 報 李
simp. (投桃报李) 投 桃 报 李
Literally: “toss a peach, get back a plum”.

Etymology

From the Classic of Poetry, poem 256 (《詩經·大雅·抑》):

投我以桃，報之以李。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
投我以桃，报之以李。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11th – 7th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Tóu wǒ yǐ táo, bào zhī yǐ lǐ.
When one throws to me a peach, I return to him a plum.

Pronunciation

Idiom

投桃報李

  1. to return a favor; to exchange gifts; you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.
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