家家户户

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: jiā jiā hù hù
• English Translation: Every household, each and every home, all households
• Idiom Composition: 「家」（Home, family）＋「家」（Home, family）＋「户」（Household, family）＋「户」（Household, family）
• Meaning: Refers to every household without exception. It describes a situation or matter that is widespread among all families or applies commonly to every household.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「家家户户」 contains the following nuances:

• Universality: Emphasizes that something applies not only to specific families but to all households.
• Inclusiveness: Expresses the inclusiveness of covering every single household without exception.
• Everyday nature: Used to describe ordinary scenes or common situations rather than special circumstances.

3. Usage

「家家户户」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Degree of prevalence: Describes how widely something, such as a custom or practice, is spread.
  • Example:「春节到了，家家户户都贴上了春联，喜气洋洋。」
    （The Spring Festival has arrived, and every household has put up Spring Festival couplets, filling the air with joy.）
• Common situation: Describes situations or behaviors common to all households.
  • Example:「政策宣传到位，现在农村家家户户都知道了新农合的好处。」
    （With effective policy promotion, now every household in rural areas knows the benefits of the new rural cooperative medical system.）
• Emphatic expression: Used as an expression to emphasize 'every household'.
  • Example:「这个小区的绿化做得好，家家户户都能享受到清新的空气。」
    （The landscaping in this community is well done, and every household can enjoy fresh air.）

Additional Examples:

1. 每到周末，家家户户都会聚在一起享受天伦之乐。
   （Every weekend, every household gathers together to enjoy family happiness.）
2. 这个社区的居民非常团结，家家户户都互相帮助。
   （The residents of this community are very united, and every household helps one another.）
3. 大年三十的晚上，家家户户灯火通明，鞭炮声不绝于耳。
   （On New Year's Eve, every household is brightly lit, and the sound of firecrackers fills the air.）
4. 中秋节的晚上，家家户户都出来赏月。
   （On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, every household comes out to admire the moon.）
5. 改革开放以来，家家户户的生活水平都得到了显著提高。
   （Since the reform and opening up, the living standards of every household have significantly improved.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Family-centered culture: In traditional Chinese culture, the family is the fundamental social unit and is highly valued. The idiom '家家户户' reflects this cultural emphasis on families.
• Difference from '家喻户晓': The idiom '家喻户晓' means 'widely known' and refers to the high popularity or recognition of information or things. In contrast, '家家户户' strictly refers to 'every household' and is unrelated to popularity.
• Difference from '人人皆知': The idiom '人人皆知' means 'known by everyone' and indicates something widely known among people. '家家户户' focuses on households rather than individuals.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 家喻户晓 (jiā yù hù xiǎo): Widely known or familiar to everyone.
  • 人人皆知 (rén rén jiē zhī): Known by everyone.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 寥寥无几 (liáo liáo wú jǐ): Very few in number; scarce.
  • 凤毛麟角 (fèng máo lín jiǎo): Extremely rare and precious.

6. Summary

'家家户户' is an idiom rooted in the cultural emphasis on family in China. It is used to describe situations common to all households or to indicate that something is widely prevalent among families. Understanding the differences between this idiom and similar ones like '家喻户晓' (widely known) and '人人皆知' (known by everyone) is important for proper usage depending on context. Mastering this idiom will enrich your Chinese expression skills.