唇亡齿寒

唇亡齒寒

chúnwáng-chǐhán

idiom

Meanings

1 without lips, the teeth feel cold
2 mutual dependence between neighbors
3 when one falls, the other is exposed

Characters

to perish / be gone

Examples

两国唇亡齿寒，应该联合起来。

Liǎng guó chúnwángchǐhán, yīnggāi liánhé qǐlái.

The two nations depend on each other — they should unite.

上下游产业唇亡齿寒，一荣俱荣。

Shàngxià yóu chǎnyè chúnwángchǐhán, yī róng jù róng.

Upstream and downstream industries are interdependent — they rise and fall together.

邻里之间唇亡齿寒，理应互相照应。

Línlǐ zhījiān chúnwángchǐhán, lǐyīng hùxiāng zhàoying.

Neighbors share a fate; they ought to look out for one another.

Tips

history

From 《左传·僖公五年》: the Duke of Yu ignored the warning that 晋 (Jin) and 虞 (Yu) were 'lips and teeth' — when Jin attacked Guo via Yu, Yu too was swallowed. The phrase later reappears in 《左传·哀公八年》 about Lu and the Qi-Jin powers.

Stroke Order

唇 chún

亡 wáng

齿 chǐ

寒 hán