求同存异

求同存異

qiútóng-cúnyì

idiom #47,467

Meanings

1 to seek common ground while preserving differences
2 to put aside differences and cooperate
3 finding shared agreement despite disagreements

Characters

to keep; to preserve

Examples

HSK 3

我们应该求同存异，共同合作。

Wǒmen yīnggāi qiútóng-cúnyì, gòngtóng hézuò.

We should seek common ground while respecting differences, and cooperate.

HSK 3

谈判双方都愿意求同存异。

Tánpàn shuāngfāng dōu yuànyì qiútóng-cúnyì.

Both sides in the negotiation were willing to seek common ground while accepting differences.

HSK 4

在外交上，求同存异是一项重要原则。

Zài wàijiāo shàng, qiútóng-cúnyì shì yí xiàng zhòngyào yuánzé.

In diplomacy, seeking common ground while preserving differences is an important principle.

Tips

culture

Made famous by 周恩来 at the 1955 Bandung Conference as a guiding principle of Chinese diplomacy. The phrase is now standard in discussions of Chinese foreign policy and international negotiation.

grammar

Two parallel verb-object pairs: 求同 (seek sameness) + 存异 (preserve differences). The ABCD pattern where A+C and B+D are semantically opposite is common in chengyu.

Stroke Order

求 qiú

同 tóng

存 cún

异 yì