无家可归

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: wú jiā kě guī
• English Translation: Having no home to return to, losing one's home, being homeless
• Idiom Composition: 「无」（None, without）＋「家」（Home, family）＋「可」（Can, able to）＋「归」（Return, go back）
• Meaning: Having no home to return to; refers to the state of losing one's place to live and wandering. It can mean literal loss of a home or metaphorically indicate a lack of emotional or spiritual refuge.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「无家可归」 contains the following nuances:

• Physical loss of home: Refers to the actual loss of a home due to war, disaster, poverty, or other causes.
• Loss of emotional refuge: Metaphorically describes a state of losing emotional support or sense of belonging, leading to feelings of loneliness and insecurity.
• Empathy for socially vulnerable: Often used in contexts expressing sympathy or empathy towards socially vulnerable people or those in difficult situations.

3. Usage

「无家可归」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Describing situations: Used to describe the situation of people who have lost their homes due to war, disaster, poverty, etc.
  • Example:「由于战争，许多无辜的平民变得无家可归。」
    （Due to the war, many innocent civilians became homeless.）
• Figurative expression: Used figuratively to express emotional loneliness or a lack of a place to belong.
  • Example:「她感到非常孤独，好像在这个世界上无家可归。」
    （She felt very lonely, as if she were homeless in this world.）
• Describing socially vulnerable: Used to describe homeless people or those in difficult circumstances.
  • Example:「在经济危机中，许多人失去了工作，变得无家可归。」
    （During the economic crisis, many people lost their jobs and became homeless.）

Additional Examples:

1. 那场大火之后，整个村庄的人都无家可归了。
   （After the big fire, the entire village became homeless.）
2. 他因为赌博成性，最终导致家破人亡，无家可归。
   （Because of his gambling addiction, he ultimately lost his family and became homeless.）
3. 在这个陌生的城市里，他感到自己无家可归。
   （In this unfamiliar city, he felt like he had no place to call home.）
4. 政府应该采取措施，帮助那些无家可归的人。
   （The government should take measures to help those who are homeless.）
5. 这部电影讲述了一个无家可归的流浪汉的故事。
   （This movie tells the story of a homeless wanderer.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• '无家可归' reflects the perspective on socially vulnerable groups in Chinese society. Losing one's home means not only losing a physical residence but also losing social connections and emotional stability.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 流离失所 (liú lí shī suǒ): Wandering without a stable place to settle.
  • 家破人亡 (jiā pò rén wáng): The destruction of a family and the death of its members.
  • 颠沛流离 (diān pèi liú lí): Living a wandering life full of hardships.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 安居乐业 (ān jū lè yè): Living a stable life and enjoying one's work.
  • 家和万事兴 (jiā hé wàn shì xīng): If the family is harmonious, everything will prosper.

6. Summary

'无家可归' is a profound idiom that not only means having no place to live but also losing social connections and emotional stability. Understanding this idiom offers insight into the importance of 'home' in Chinese society and perspectives on socially vulnerable groups. Being aware of its figurative uses can also enrich your expressive abilities.