同舟共济

同舟共濟

tóngzhōu-gòngjì

idiom HSK 7 #27,542

Meanings

1 to be in the same boat; to pull together in times of trouble

Characters

to cross (a river); to help

Literally 'ride the same boat and cross together' — from Sun Tzu's Art of War, describing how even enemies would cooperate if their boat was in danger.

Examples

面对困难，我们要同舟共济。

Miànduì kùnnan, wǒmen yào tóngzhōu-gòngjì.

Facing difficulties, we must pull together.

全国人民同舟共济，共渡难关。

Quánguó rénmín tóngzhōu-gòngjì, gòng dù nánguān.

The whole nation pulled together to overcome the crisis.

Tips

history

This idiom comes from Sun Tzu's Art of War (孙子兵法). Sun Tzu said that soldiers from the rival states of Wu and Yue, if on the same boat in a storm, would help each other just as left and right hands do. The English equivalent 'in the same boat' captures the same idea.

Stroke Order

同 tóng

舟 zhōu

共 gòng

济 jì