挨家挨户

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: āi jiā āi hù
• English Translation: House by house, door to door, one after another
• Idiom Composition: 「挨」（One after another, in sequence）＋「家」（House, home）＋「挨」（One after another, in sequence）＋「户」（Household, family）
• Meaning: Describes the act of going from house to house without missing any. It is used when visiting or investigating each household in sequence, conveying a thorough and comprehensive approach.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「挨家挨户」 contains the following nuances:

• Comprehensiveness: Emphasizes covering all houses or households without exception or omission.
• Thoroughness: Means carrying out the task carefully, taking time to ensure each house is properly attended to.
• Directness: Suggests personally visiting each household and conducting activities face-to-face.
• Diligent effort: Represents a willingness to undertake time-consuming and laborious work by visiting each house individually.

3. Usage

「挨家挨户」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Visiting and investigation: Used when visiting or investigating each household.
  • Example:「社区工作人员挨家挨户地宣传防疫知识。」
    （Community workers went house to house promoting epidemic prevention knowledge.）
• Distribution and collection: Used when distributing or collecting flyers, goods, or other items to each household.
  • Example:「志愿者挨家挨户地收集旧衣物，用于慈善活动。」
    （Volunteers went door to door collecting old clothes for charity.）
• Search and investigation: Used when searching or investigating by visiting each household.
  • Example:「警察挨家挨户地调查昨晚的盗窃案。」
    （The police conducted a door-to-door investigation of last night's theft.）

Additional Examples:

1. 为了确保选举的公正性，工作人员挨家挨户地核实选民信息。
   （To ensure the fairness of the election, staff verified voter information house by house.）
2. 新来的邮递员挨家挨户地送邮件，确保每封信都能准确送达。
   （The new mail carrier delivered mail door to door, ensuring every letter was accurately delivered.）
3. 公司为了推广新产品，决定挨家挨户地进行宣传。
   （The company decided to promote the new product by going house to house.）
4. 地震发生后，救援队挨家挨户地搜救幸存者。
   （After the earthquake, rescue teams searched for survivors door to door.）
5. 为了解居民的生活状况，政府官员挨家挨户地进行了走访。
   （To understand residents' living conditions, government officials conducted visits house by house.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• The concept of 'mianzi' (face) in Chinese society: In China, direct visits are considered polite and respectful. '挨家挨户' reflects this cultural background and is used to show respect and sincerity towards others.
• Balancing efficiency: Although thorough, '挨家挨户' is time-consuming and labor-intensive. In modern society, it is important to balance efficiency and choose appropriate methods depending on the situation.
• Privacy considerations: With growing awareness of privacy in China, it is necessary to respect households' privacy when conducting '挨家挨户' visits, including obtaining prior permission when appropriate.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 无微不至 (wú wēi bú zhì): Meticulous and attentive to every detail.
  • 面面俱到 (miàn miàn jù dào): Comprehensive and thorough in every aspect.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 走马观花 (zǒu mǎ guān huā): To take a cursory glance without understanding the essence; superficial observation.

6. Summary

'挨家挨户' is an idiom that reflects the importance of interpersonal relationships in Chinese society and the attitude of thoroughness in carrying out tasks. In modern times, considerations of efficiency and privacy are also important, so appropriate judgment is needed when using this idiom. However, the underlying spirit of visiting each house carefully offers valuable insight into the Chinese cultural emphasis on human connections.