家书抵万金

家書抵萬金

jiāshūdǐwànjīn

idiom

Meanings

1 a letter from home is worth ten thousand pieces of gold
2 news from family is priceless, especially in wartime or long separation

Characters

be worth, equal

Examples

父亲在前线收到家信，真是家书抵万金。

Fùqin zài qiánxiàn shōudào jiāxìn, zhēn shì jiā shū dǐ wàn jīn.

At the front, father received a letter from home — truly ‘a letter from home worth ten thousand gold.’

留学生看到父母发来的视频，仿佛家书抵万金。

Liúxuéshēng kàndào fùmǔ fālái de shìpín, fǎngfú jiā shū dǐ wàn jīn.

For students abroad, a video call from parents feels like ‘a letter from home worth ten thousand gold.’

Tips

history

From Du Fu 杜甫's 《春望》 (Tang), written during the An Lushan rebellion: ‘烽火连三月，家书抵万金。’ (Beacon fires have burned for three months on end; a letter from home is worth ten thousand pieces of gold.) Composed while Du Fu was stranded in rebel-occupied Chang'an, separated from his family.

usage

抵 (dǐ) here = to be worth / equal to, not ‘resist.’ Has become an idiom used for any long-distance correspondence.

Stroke Order

家 jiā

书 shū

抵 dǐ

万 wàn

金 jīn