每天成语
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平起平坐

*The explanations on this page are generated by AI. Please note that they may contain inaccurate information.

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: píng qǐ píng zuò
  • English Translation: To be on equal footing / To sit at the same table
  • Idiom Composition: 「平」（Equally; at the same level）＋「起」（To stand up or rise）＋「平」（Equally; at the same level）＋「坐」（To sit down）
  • Meaning: Literally meaning 'to stand up and sit down together,' this idiom refers to having equal social status, power, or rights. It describes a relationship where there is no hierarchy and both parties are treated as equals.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「平起平坐」 contains the following nuances:

  • Equality of Status: This idiom emphasizes equality in social standing, power, or rank rather than just a comparison of technical skills or abilities.
  • Formal and Ceremonial Equality: Because the characters refer to the physical actions of standing and sitting, it carries a nuance of being treated as an equal in formal settings, such as negotiations or official ceremonies.

3. Usage

「平起平坐」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Presumptuousness or Imbalance: Often used in a negative or rhetorical sense to criticize someone of lower rank who tries to act as an equal to a superior.
    • Example:「你只是个新人，怎么敢跟老板平起平坐？」
      （You are just a newcomer; how do you dare to think you can be on equal footing with the boss?)
  • Claiming Rights or Equality: Used in positive contexts or advocacy to assert that a group should enjoy the same rights and status as others.
    • Example:「女性在职场上应该享有与男性平起平坐的权利。」
      （Women should enjoy the right to be on equal footing with men in the workplace.)
  • Competitive Parity: Describes companies, countries, or entities that have developed enough strength to rival established giants.
    • Example:「这家初创公司发展迅速，如今已有实力跟行业巨头平起平坐。」
      （This startup has developed rapidly and now has the strength to stand as an equal with industry giants.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 在这个圆桌会议上，所有代表都是平起平坐的。
    （At this roundtable meeting, all representatives are on equal footing.）
  2. 想和世界一流选手平起平坐，你还需要更多的训练。
    （If you want to compete as an equal with world-class athletes, you need more training.）
  3. 过去被视为次要的电子竞技，现在终于可以和传统体育平起平坐了。
    （E-sports, once seen as secondary, can finally stand on equal ground with traditional sports.）
  4. 不论贫富，在法律面前人人都有权平起平坐。
    （Regardless of wealth, everyone has the right to be treated as an equal before the law.）
  5. 他虽然出身名门，但从不摆架子，总是和大家平起平坐。
    （Despite his noble background, he never puts on airs and always treats everyone as an equal.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • In traditional Chinese society influenced by Confucianism (孔子), strict hierarchies and social orders were paramount. Originally, 平起平坐 (píng qǐ píng zuò) could imply a lack of etiquette, as it ignored the rules of who should sit in the seat of honor or stand first based on age or rank.
  • In modern contexts, the idiom has evolved to reflect democratic values and the pursuit of equality. It is frequently used in discussions about human rights, gender equality, and international relations to describe a 'level playing field' or 'equal partnership.' However, it can still be used to warn someone against being 'presumptuous' if they overstep their bounds.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

6. Summary

平起平坐 (píng qǐ píng zuò) describes a state of equality in status or power. Derived from the physical act of standing and sitting at the same time—implying no one is subordinate—it is used to describe people, organizations, or nations that have reached the same level of influence. While it often highlights hard-won equality or rights, it can also be used critically to describe someone who presumptuously acts as an equal to their superior.

Featured in the Chuken exam (Japan's Chinese test)Pre-Level 1

Idiom Essay

píng qǐ píng zuò
平起平坐
On Equal Footing
yǐ qián以前de的rén人，fēi cháng非常jiǎng jiū讲究guī jǔ规矩。

In the past, people were very particular about rules and etiquette.

zài在yí gè一个fáng jiān房间lǐ里，shuí谁xiān先zhàn qǐ lái站起来，shuí谁bì xū必须zuò xià坐下，shuí谁zuò坐dé得gāo高yì diǎn一点，shuí谁zhǐ néng只能zhàn站zài在páng biān旁边，zhè xiē这些shēn tǐ身体de的dòng zuò动作，qí shí其实dōu都zài在gào sù告诉dà jiā大家：shuí谁de的dì wèi地位gèng更gāo高，shuí谁yōng yǒu拥有quán lì权力。

In a room, who stands up first, who must sit down, who sits higher, and who must stand to the side—these physical movements actually told everyone who had higher status and who held power.

dàn但rú guǒ如果liǎng两gè rén个人，kě yǐ可以tóng shí同时zhàn qǐ lái站起来，yě也kě yǐ可以bìng pái并排zuò坐zài在yì qǐ一起，wán quán完全bù yòng不用dān xīn担心shuí谁gāo高shuí谁dī低，nà那shuō míng说明shén me什么ne呢？

But if two people can stand up at the same time and sit side by side without worrying about who is higher or lower, what does that indicate?

zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个chéng yǔ成语zhuān mén专门xíng róng形容zhè zhǒng这种zhuàng tài状态，jiào叫“píng qǐ píng zuò平起平坐”。

In Chinese, there is an idiom specifically for this state called 平起平坐.

zì miàn字面shàng上kàn看，tā它jiù shì就是zài在shuō说dòng zuò动作：“píng平”，jiù shì就是yī yàng一样gāo高。

Literally, it describes physical actions: 平 means at the same height.

dà jiā大家píng平zhe着qǐ起，píng平zhe着zuò坐。

Everyone rises 平 and sits 平.

dàn但shí jì shàng实际上，tā它xíng róng形容de的shì是yī zhǒng一种dì wèi地位hé和quán lì权力de的wán quán完全píng děng平等。

In reality, however, it describes a complete equality of status and power.

gèng更yǒu yì si有意思de的shì是，zhè ge这个cí词wǎng wǎng往往dài yǒu带有yī zhǒng一种“biàn huà变化”de的wèi dào味道。

What is more interesting is that this term often carries a sense of change.

wǒ men我们hěn很shǎo少huì会shuō说liǎng两gè个běn lái本来jiù就yī yàng一样pǔ tōng普通de的péng yǒu朋友shì是“píng qǐ píng zuò平起平坐”de的，yīn wèi因为nà那hěn很zhèng cháng正常。

We rarely say two friends who were always ordinary are 平起平坐, because that is normal.

wǒ men我们tōng cháng通常yòng用tā它lái来xíng róng形容nà xiē那些——yuán běn原本bèi被rèn wéi认为bǐ jiào比较ruò xiǎo弱小de的yī fāng一方，jīng guò经过nǔ lì努力，zhōng yú终于yǒu有le了hé和qiáng zhě强者duì huà对话de的zī gé资格。

We usually use it to describe a situation where a party originally considered weaker has, through effort, finally gained the qualification to speak with the strong.

bǐ rú比如，yī jiā一家bù qǐ yǎn不起眼de的xiǎo小gōng sī公司，màn màn慢慢fā zhǎn发展chéng成le了dà大qǐ yè企业，zhōng yú终于kě yǐ可以hé和háng yè行业lǐ里de的jù tóu巨头zuò坐zài在yī zhāng一张zhuō zi桌子shàng上tán pàn谈判le了；huò zhě或者，yī zhǒng一种céng jīng曾经bèi被rèn wéi认为shì是nán dēng dà yǎ zhī táng难登大雅之堂de的jiē tóu街头biǎo yǎn表演，zhōng yú终于bèi被rèn kě认可wèi为zhēn zhèng真正de的yì shù艺术，kě yǐ可以hé和gǔ diǎn yīn yuè古典音乐“píng qǐ píng zuò平起平坐”。

For example, a small, inconspicuous company slowly develops into a large enterprise and can finally sit at the same table to negotiate with industry giants; or a street performance once considered lowbrow is finally recognized as true art and can 平起平坐 with classical music.

suǒ yǐ所以，dāng当nǐ你tīng dào听到“píng qǐ píng zuò平起平坐”de的shí hòu时候，nǐ你tīng dào听到de的bù jǐn不仅shì是“píng děng平等”，gèng shì更是yī zhǒng一种zì xìn自信。

So, when you hear 平起平坐, you are hearing not just equality, but also a sense of self-confidence.

tā它yì wèi zhe意味着：wǒ我bù bì不必yǎng shì仰视nǐ你，nǐ你yě也bù bì不必fǔ shì俯视wǒ我。

It means: I do not have to look up to you, and you do not have to look down on me.

wǒ men我们kě yǐ可以kàn看zhe着bǐ cǐ彼此de的yǎn jīng眼睛，zài在tóng yī gè同一个gāo dù高度shàng上，píng děng平等dì地jiāo liú交流。

We can look into each other's eyes and communicate as equals at the same height.

'造句' Feature Usage Guide

造句练习📝

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