相依為命

相依為命

Chinese

		to depend on each other; to be interdependent	because of; for; to because of; for; to; act as; take...to be; to be; to do; to serve as; to become	life; fate
trad. (相依為命)		相依	為	命
simp. (相依为命)		相依	为	命
variant forms		相須為命／相须为命 相倚為命／相倚为命 相與為命／相与为命

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): xiāngyīwéimìng

  (Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄤ ㄧ ㄨㄟˊ ㄇㄧㄥˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): soeng¹ ji¹ wai⁴ ming⁶

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: xiāngyīwéimìng
    • Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄤ ㄧ ㄨㄟˊ ㄇㄧㄥˋ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shiangiweiminq
    • IPA ^(key): /ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ i⁵⁵ u̯eɪ̯³⁵ miŋ⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: soeng¹ ji¹ wai⁴ ming⁶
    • Yale: sēung yī wàih mihng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: soeng¹ ji¹ wai⁴ ming⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: sêng¹ yi¹ wei⁴ ming⁶
    • IPA ^(key): /sœ̽ːŋ⁵⁵ jiː⁵⁵ wɐi̯²¹ mɪŋ²²/

Idiom

相依為命

1. to depend on each other for survival; to rely on one another for life

Usage notes

Usually said of siblings whose parents have deceased, or a parent and a child when the other parent is no longer around, etc.