海內存知己，天涯若比鄰

Chinese

within the country's borders; the world
 
exist; deposit; store; keep; survive
 
soulmate; intimate friend; close friend; to know oneself; to be intimate to oneself
 to feel a closeness to a friend or loved one despite being separated by a great distance
trad. (海內存知己，天涯若比鄰) 海內 存 知己 ， 天涯若比鄰
simp. (海内存知己，天涯若比邻) 海内 存 知己 ， 天涯若比邻
Literally: “the far ends of heaven are like next door”.

Etymology

城闕輔三秦，風煙望五津。與君離別意，同是宦游人。海內存知己，天涯若比鄰。無為在歧路，兒女共沾巾。 [MSC, trad.]
城阙辅三秦，风烟望五津。与君离别意，同是宦游人。海内存知己，天涯若比邻。无为在歧路，儿女共沾巾。 [MSC, simp.]
From: c. 647 – 675: Wang Bo, 送杜少府之任蜀州 (Seeing off Vice-prefect Du on the occasion of his appointment to the state of Shu) (Wiktionary translation)
Chéngquè fǔ Sānqín, fēngyān wàng Wǔjīn. Yǔ jūn líbié yì, tóng shì huàn yóu rén. Hǎinèi cún zhījǐ, tiānyá ruò bǐlín. Wú wéi zài qílù, érnǚ gòng zhān jīn. [Pinyin]
The watch towers[1] are protected by the three Qin states[2], I can make out the land[3] of the five crossings[4] in the distance. My mood (is somber) as I part from you, We are both officials traveling (far from home). When one has a close friend in this world, the far ends of heaven are like next door. (Therefore, when we reach the) fork in the road (where we must part), let us not exchange kerchiefs moistened (with tears like) women and children.

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): hǎinèi cún zhījǐ, tiānyá ruò bǐlín
    (Zhuyin): ㄏㄞˇ ㄋㄟˋ ㄘㄨㄣˊ ㄓ ㄐㄧˇ, ㄊㄧㄢ ㄧㄚˊ ㄖㄨㄛˋ ㄅㄧˇ ㄌㄧㄣˊ
  • Cantonese (Jyutping): hoi2 noi6 cyun4 zi1 gei2, tin1 ngaai4 joek6 bei2 leon4
  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Pinyin: hǎinèi cún zhījǐ, tiānyá ruò bǐlín
      • Zhuyin: ㄏㄞˇ ㄋㄟˋ ㄘㄨㄣˊ ㄓ ㄐㄧˇ, ㄊㄧㄢ ㄧㄚˊ ㄖㄨㄛˋ ㄅㄧˇ ㄌㄧㄣˊ
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: haeney tswen jyjii, tianya ruoh biilin
      • IPA (key): /xaɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ neɪ̯⁵¹ t͡sʰu̯ən³⁵ ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ t͡ɕi²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ i̯a̠³⁵ ʐu̯ɔ⁵¹ pi²¹⁴⁻²¹¹ lin³⁵/
  • Cantonese
    • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)+
      • Jyutping: hoi2 noi6 cyun4 zi1 gei2, tin1 ngaai4 joek6 bei2 leon4
      • Yale: hói noih chyùhn jī géi, tīn ngàaih yeuhk béi lèuhn
      • Cantonese Pinyin: hoi2 noi6 tsyn4 dzi1 gei2, tin1 ngaai4 joek9 bei2 loen4
      • Guangdong Romanization: hoi2 noi6 qun4 ji1 géi2, tin1 ngai4 yêg6 béi2 lên4
      • IPA (key): /hɔːi̯³⁵ nɔːi̯²² t͡ɕʰyːn²¹ t͡siː⁵⁵ kei̯³⁵ tʰiːn⁵⁵ ŋɑːi̯²¹ jœːk̚² pei̯³⁵ lɵn²¹/

Idiom

海內存知己，天涯若比鄰

  1. to feel a closeness to a friend or loved one despite being separated by a great distance (this phrase is often used when talking about the internet, long-distance phones, etc.)

References

  1. ↑ Most commentaries explain that 城闕 (watch towers on the city walls) is a reference to the capital city of Chang'an. One other possibility is that it refers to the watch towers of the town where Vice-prefect Du is to be assigned. According to this interpretation, the author is expressing praise for the prestige of his friend's future assignment (lit. The watch towers of the town where you will be assigned provide protection to the three Qin states).
  2. ↑ Former Qin, Later Qin and Western Qin
  3. ↑ Some commentaries explain that 風煙 was a synonym for 風景 (landscape). This is the interpretation used here.
  4. ↑ A reference to the five ferry crossings of the Minjiang River (Sichuan).
  • “唐詩鑒賞 Apreciating Tang Poetry(2005, 施蜇存 Shi Zhecun)”, in www.qingshi.net‎ (in Mandarin), accessed 2008-05-19
  • “唐詩欣賞 Tang Poetry Apreciation (2003, 文思格 Wen Sige)”, in www.epochimes.com‎ (in Mandarin), accessed 2008-05-19
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