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相濡以沫. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
相濡以沫, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
相濡以沫 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
相濡以沫 you have here. The definition of the word
相濡以沫 will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
相濡以沫, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Chinese
|
|
each other; appearance; portrait each other; appearance; portrait; picture; one another; mutually |
dilatory; to moisten
|
to use; according to; so as to to use; according to; so as to; in order to; by; with; because; Israel (abbrev.) |
foam; suds
|
| trad. (相濡以沫)
|
相
|
濡
|
以
|
沫
|
| simp. #(相濡以沫)
|
相
|
濡
|
以
|
沫
|
| Literally: “to moisten each other with spittle”.
|
Etymology
From Zhuangzi :
泉涸，魚相與處於陸，相呴以溼，相濡以沫，不如相忘於江湖。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
泉涸，鱼相与处于陆，相呴以湿，相濡以沫，不如相忘于江湖。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]- From: Zhuangzi, circa 3rd – 2nd centuries BCE
- Quán hé, yú xiāngyǔ chǔ yú lù, xiāng xǔ yǐ shī, xiāng rú yǐ mò, bùrú xiāngwàng yú jiānghú.
- When the springs are dried up, the fishes collect together on the land. Than that they should moisten one another there by the damp about them, and keep one another wet by their slime, it would be better for them to forget one another in the rivers and lakes.
Pronunciation
| Rime
|
| Character
|
相
|
濡
|
以
|
沫
|
| Reading #
|
1/2
|
1/2
|
1/1
|
1/1
|
| Initial (聲)
|
心 (16)
|
日 (38)
|
以 (36)
|
明 (4)
|
| Final (韻)
|
陽 (105)
|
虞 (24)
|
之 (19)
|
末 (64)
|
| Tone (調)
|
Level (Ø)
|
Level (Ø)
|
Rising (X)
|
Checked (Ø)
|
| Openness (開合)
|
Open
|
Closed
|
Open
|
Closed
|
| Division (等)
|
III
|
III
|
III
|
I
|
| Fanqie
|
息良切
|
人朱切
|
羊己切
|
莫撥切
|
| Baxter
|
sjang
|
nyu
|
yiX
|
mat
|
| Reconstructions
|
Zhengzhang
Shangfang
|
/sɨɐŋ/
|
/ȵɨo/
|
/jɨX/
|
/muɑt̚/
|
Pan
Wuyun
|
/siɐŋ/
|
/ȵio/
|
/jɨX/
|
/mʷɑt̚/
|
Shao
Rongfen
|
/siɑŋ/
|
/ȵʑio/
|
/ieX/
|
/muɑt̚/
|
Edwin
Pulleyblank
|
/sɨaŋ/
|
/ȵuə̆/
|
/jɨX/
|
/mwat̚/
|
Li
Rong
|
/siaŋ/
|
/ȵio/
|
/iəX/
|
/muɑt̚/
|
Wang
Li
|
/sĭaŋ/
|
/ȵʑĭu/
|
/jĭəX/
|
/muɑt̚/
|
Bernard
Karlgren
|
/si̯aŋ/
|
/ȵʑi̯u/
|
/iX/
|
/muɑt̚/
|
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex
|
xiāng
|
rú
|
yǐ
|
mò
|
Expected
Cantonese
Reflex
|
soeng1
|
jyu4
|
ji5
|
mut6
|
| Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
|
| Character
|
相
|
濡
|
以
|
沫
|
| Reading #
|
1/2
|
1/1
|
1/1
|
1/1
|
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin)
|
xiāng
|
rú
|
yǐ
|
mò
|
Middle
Chinese
|
‹ sjang ›
|
‹ nyu ›
|
‹ yiX ›
|
‹ mat ›
|
Old
Chinese
|
/*aŋ/
|
/*no/
|
/*ləʔ/
|
/*mˁat/
|
| English
|
mutually
|
wet, glossy
|
take, use
|
foam, spittle
|
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:
* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. * as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;
* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
|
| Zhengzhang system (2003)
|
| Character
|
相
|
濡
|
以
|
沫
|
| Reading #
|
1/2
|
1/2
|
1/1
|
1/1
|
| No.
|
13579
|
13970
|
14929
|
9233
|
Phonetic
component
|
相
|
需
|
以
|
末
|
Rime
group
|
陽
|
侯
|
之
|
月
|
Rime
subdivision
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
Corresponding
MC rime
|
襄
|
儒
|
以
|
末
|
Old
Chinese
|
/*slaŋ/
|
/*njo/
|
/*lɯʔ/
|
/*maːd/
|
| Notes
|
|
需轉註字
|
|
|
Idiom
相濡以沫
- (figurative) to help each other pull through a crisis; mutual help when both are in humble situations
- (figurative, of a loving couple) to accompany each other through times of prosperity and hardships till the end of time