不如相忘于江湖

不如相忘於江湖

bùrúxiāngwàngyújiānghú

phrase

Meanings

1 better to forget each other amid the rivers and lakes
2 (fig.) when two can no longer sustain each other up close, parting into freedom beats clinging together
3 (lit.) not as good as mutually-forgetting in rivers-and-lakes

Characters

as (不如 = better to / not as good as)

lake (江湖 = rivers and lakes)

Examples

既然走不到一起，不如相忘于江湖。

Jìrán zǒu bù dào yīqǐ, bùrú xiāng wàng yú jiānghú.

If we can't walk the same path, 'better to forget each other among the rivers and lakes.'

老友分道扬镳多年，彼此不如相忘于江湖。

Lǎoyǒu fēndào-yángbiāo duōnián, bǐcǐ bùrú xiāng wàng yú jiānghú.

Old friends who parted ways long ago — 'better that we forget each other among the rivers and lakes.'

Tips

history

From 《庄子·大宗师》(Zhuangzi, Da Zong Shi, c. 4th c. BCE): 泉涸，鱼相与处于陆，相呴以湿，相濡以沫，不如相忘于江湖 (When the spring dries up, fish are stranded together on the land — they breathe moisture on each other, dampen each other with spittle. But better that they forget each other in the rivers and lakes). Zhuangzi's point: mutual dependence in misery is inferior to the free, distant flourishing of each in its own element.

usage

Deeply ironic origin: the famous 相濡以沫 (cherishing each other through hard times) is the image Zhuangzi *rejects* in favor of 相忘于江湖. Modern Chinese frequently quotes both halves together to discuss friendship or love. 于 is classical 'in / at.' 江湖 literally 'rivers and lakes' — here the vast free waters, later 'the world-at-large.'

Stroke Order

不 bù

如 rú

相 xiāng

忘 wàng

于 yú

江 jiāng

湖 hú