相依為命

Chinese

		to depend on each other; to be interdependent	because of; for; to because of; for; to; act as; take...to be; to be; to do; to serve as; to become	life; fate
trad. (相依為命/相依爲命)		相依	為/爲	命
simp. (相依为命)		相依	为	命
alternative forms		相須為命／相须为命 相倚為命／相倚为命 相與為命／相与为命

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): xiāngyīwéimìng

  (Zhuyin): ㄒㄧㄤ ㄧ ㄨㄟˊ ㄇㄧㄥˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): soeng¹ ji¹ wai⁴ ming⁶
• Southern Min (Teochew, Peng'im): siang¹ i¹ ui⁵ mian⁷

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: xiāngyīwéimìng
    • Zhuyin: ㄒㄧㄤ ㄧ ㄨㄟˊ ㄇㄧㄥˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: siangyiwéimìng
    • Wade–Giles: hsiang¹-i¹-wei²-ming⁴
    • Yale: syāng-yī-wéi-mìng
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shiangiweiminq
    • Palladius: сянъивэймин (sjanʺivɛjmin)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ i⁵⁵ weɪ̯³⁵ miŋ⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: soeng¹ ji¹ wai⁴ ming⁶
    • Yale: sēung yī wàih mihng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: soeng¹ ji¹ wai⁴ ming⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: sêng¹ yi¹ wei⁴ ming⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sœːŋ⁵⁵ jiː⁵⁵ wɐi̯²¹ mɪŋ²²/
• Southern Min
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: siang¹ i¹ ui⁵ mian⁷
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: siang i ûi miāⁿ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siaŋ³³⁻²³ i³³⁻²³ ui⁵⁵⁻¹¹ mĩã¹¹/

Idiom

相依為命

1. to depend on each other for survival; to rely on one another for life

Usage notes

Usually said of siblings whose parents have deceased, or a parent and a child when the other parent is no longer around, etc.