鱼水深情

魚水深情

yúshuǐ-shēnqíng

idiom

Meanings

1 the deep bond of fish and water
2 an inseparable, intimate relationship

Characters

feeling, affection

Examples

HSK 4

这段鱼水深情的友谊让人感动。

Zhè duàn yúshuǐ-shēnqíng de yǒuyì ràng rén gǎndòng.

This fish-and-water friendship is deeply moving.

HSK 5

军民之间有着鱼水深情。

Jūn mín zhījiān yǒuzhe yúshuǐ-shēnqíng.

The army and the people share a deep bond, like fish and water.

HSK 7-9

他们夫妻鱼水深情，相濡以沫。

Tāmen fūqī yúshuǐ-shēnqíng, xiāngrú-yǐmò.

The couple shares a deep bond and supports each other through thick and thin.

Tips

culture

The image is best known from 军民鱼水情 ('the fish-and-water bond between army and people'), a set phrase in songs, films and news reports about the People's Liberation Army and civilians. Outside that context, it is a general metaphor for an inseparable, intimate bond.

memory

Fish can't live without water. The metaphor makes the dependency mutual and essential - not just closeness, but survival-level reliance.

Stroke Order

鱼 yú

水 shuǐ

深 shēn

情 qíng