不如相忘于江湖

不如相忘於江湖

bùrú xiāng wàng yú jiānghú

quotation

Meanings

1 better to forget each other amid the rivers and lakes
2 when two can no longer sustain each other up close, parting into freedom beats clinging together
3 lit. not as good as mutually-forgetting in rivers-and-lakes

Characters

as (不如 = better to / not as good as)

lake (江湖 = rivers and lakes)

Examples

HSK 7-9

既然走不到一起，不如相忘于江湖。

Jìrán zǒu bú dào yìqǐ, bùrú xiāng wàng yú jiānghú.

If we can't walk the same path, 'better to forget each other among the rivers and lakes.'

HSK 7-9

老友分道扬镳多年，彼此不如相忘于江湖。

Lǎoyǒu fēndào-yángbiāo duō nián, bǐcǐ bùrú xiāng wàng yú jiānghú.

Old friends who parted ways long ago - 'better that we forget each other among the rivers and lakes.'

Tips

history

From 《庄子·大宗师》 (c. 4th c. BCE): 泉涸，鱼相与处于陆，相呴以湿，相濡以沫，不如相忘于江湖 (When the spring dries up, fish are stranded together on the land; they breathe moisture on each other, dampen each other with spittle. But better that they forget each other in the rivers and lakes). Zhuangzi's point: mutual dependence in misery is inferior to the free, distant flourishing of each in its own element.

usage

Deeply ironic origin: the famous 相濡以沫 (cherishing each other through hard times) is the image Zhuangzi rejects in favor of 相忘于江湖. Modern Chinese frequently quotes both halves together to discuss friendship or love. 于 is classical 'in / at.' 江湖 literally 'rivers and lakes,' here the vast free waters, later 'the world-at-large.'

Stroke Order

不 bù

如 rú

相 xiāng

忘 wàng

于 yú

江 jiāng

湖 hú