每天成语
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相得益彰

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

1. Basic Information

  • Pinyin: xiāng dé yì zhāng
  • English Translation: To complement each other and bring out the best in both
  • Idiom Composition: 「相」（Mutually or each other）＋「得」（To fit, suit, or match well）＋「益」（Increasingly or even more）＋「彰」（To become clear, manifest, or prominent）
  • Meaning: A situation where two people or things combine in a way that enhances the strengths and beauty of both, producing a result far superior to what either could achieve alone. It is a highly positive expression used to praise perfect pairings.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「相得益彰」 contains the following nuances:

  • Emphasis on Synergy: It goes beyond just 'matching'; it focuses on the synergistic effect where A and B together create a value greater than the sum of their parts.
  • Mutual Relationship: The term implies an equal relationship where both sides exert a positive influence on each other, rather than one side simply helping the other.
  • Visual and Aesthetic Harmony: It is frequently used to describe visual beauty, such as in fashion, graphic design, or natural scenery.

3. Usage

「相得益彰」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

  • Fashion and Design: Used to praise the sense of style in combining clothing, accessories, or interior decor.
    • Example:「这条红色的围巾和你的黑色大衣搭配在一起，真是相得益彰。」
      （The red scarf and your black coat complement each other perfectly.)
  • Partnerships and Cooperation: Describes how the personalities or skills of two people (like business partners or a couple) mesh to achieve success.
    • Example:「他们两人一个擅长策划，一个擅长执行，配合得相得益彰。」
      （With one excelling at planning and the other at execution, the two of them bring out the best in each other.)
  • Cuisine and Flavors: Used when the combination of ingredients, sauces, or food and wine is exquisite.
    • Example:「这道菜里的柠檬汁与海鲜的鲜味相得益彰。」
      （The lemon juice and the seafood flavors in this dish enhance each other beautifully.)

Additional Examples:

  1. 古典音乐与这座古老的教堂相得益彰，营造出庄严的氛围。
    （The classical music and this ancient church complement each other, creating a solemn atmosphere.）
  2. 图文并茂的排版让文章的内容更加相得益彰。
    （The layout with both illustrations and text makes the article's content stand out even more.）
  3. 现代科技与传统工艺在这款产品上相得益彰。
    （Modern technology and traditional craftsmanship bring out the best in each other in this product.）
  4. 优秀的剧本加上演员精湛的演技，使得这部电影相得益彰。
    （The excellent script combined with the actors' superb performances made the movie truly shine.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

  • Origin: This idiom comes from the 'Ode to the Wise Ruler Obtaining Worthy Ministers' (圣主得贤臣颂 / Shèng Zhǔ Dé Xián Chén Sòng) by the Western Han (西汉) scholar Wang Bao (王褒). It originally described how a wise emperor and his capable officials enhance each other's virtues and abilities.
  • Modern Evolution: While it was once reserved for political relationships between rulers and subjects, it is now a versatile term used for any successful combination in art, business, or daily life.
  • Orthography: In ancient texts, the character 彰 (zhāng) was sometimes written as 章 (zhāng), but the former is the standard form in modern Chinese.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

  • Similar Idioms:
    • 相辅相成 (xiāng fǔ xiāng chéng): To complement and supplement each other; emphasizes interdependence more than the resulting brilliance.
    • 锦上添花 (jǐn shàng tiān huā): Adding flowers to brocade; making something that is already good even better.
  • Opposite Idioms:
    • 相形见绌 (xiāng xíng jiàn chù): To pale in comparison; when one thing makes the flaws of another more obvious.
    • 两败俱伤 (liǎng bài jù shāng): Both sides suffer; a situation where a conflict results in loss for everyone involved.

6. Summary

相得益彰 (xiāng dé yì zhāng) is a positive idiom used when two elements work together to create a synergistic effect. Whether applied to fashion coordination, food pairings, or teamwork, it describes a '1+1 > 2' scenario where the combination makes both parts shine more brightly.

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

Idiom Essay

xiāng dé yì zhāng
相得益彰
Complementing Each Other Perfectly
zài在zhè ge这个shì jiè世界shàng上，yǒu xiē有些dōng xī东西rú guǒ如果shì是dān dú单独cún zài存在，kě néng可能zhǐ shì只是pǔ pǔ tōng tōng普普通通de的hǎo好。

In this world, some things might be just ordinary when they exist alone.

dàn shì但是，yí dàn一旦bǎ把tā men它们fàng放zài在yì qǐ一起，qí miào奇妙de的shì qíng事情jiù就fā shēng发生le了：tā men它们bù jǐn不仅méi yǒu没有hù xiāng互相gān rǎo干扰，fǎn ér反而yīn wèi因为duì fāng对方de的cún zài存在，biàn dé变得gèng jiā更加chū sè出色le了。

However, once you put them together, something wonderful happens: they don't interfere with each other, but instead become even more outstanding because of the other's presence.

zhōng wén中文lǐ里，yǒu有yí gè一个fēi cháng非常yōu yǎ优雅de的chéng yǔ成语，zhuān mén专门yòng lái用来xíng róng形容zhè zhǒng这种“hù xiāng互相chéng jiù成就”de的guān xì关系，jiào叫“xiāng dé yì zhāng相得益彰”。

In Chinese, there is a very elegant idiom used specifically to describe this relationship of mutual achievement called 相得益彰.

zhè ge这个cí词tīng qǐ lái听起来kě néng可能yǒu diǎn有点shū miàn书面，dàn但tā它de的yì si意思qí shí其实hěn很zhí guān直观。

This term might sound a bit formal, but its meaning is actually quite intuitive.

“xiāng de相得”，yì si意思shì是bǐ cǐ彼此pèi hé配合dé得hěn很mò qì默契；“yì益”，shì是gèng jiā更加；“zhāng彰”，shì是xiǎn zhù显著、míng xiǎn明显。

相得 means to cooperate with great chemistry; 益 means even more; 彰 means prominent or obvious.

hé合qǐ lái起来lǐ jiě理解，jiù shì就是liǎng两gè个rén人huò或liǎng两jiàn件shì wù事物，yīn wèi因为pèi hé配合dé得hǎo好，shuāng fāng双方de的yōu diǎn优点dōu都biàn dé变得bǐ比yuán lái原来gèng更míng xiǎn明显le了。

Understood together, it means that because two people or things cooperate well, the strengths of both become more apparent than before.

wǒ men我们lái来xiǎng xiàng想象jǐ gè几个huà miàn画面。

Let's imagine a few scenes.

bǐ rú比如zài在kàn看diàn yǐng电影de的shí hòu时候。

For example, when watching a movie.

yí gè一个bēi shāng悲伤de的jìng tóu镜头，rú guǒ如果zhǐ shì只是huà miàn画面，nǐ你kě néng可能zhǐ只huì会jué de觉得nán guò难过。

A sad shot might only make you feel sorrowful if it is just the visual.

dàn但rú guǒ如果zhè shí hòu这时候，pèi配shàng上yī duàn一段qià dào hǎo chù恰到好处de的dà tí qín大提琴yīn yuè音乐，nà zhǒng那种bēi shāng悲伤de的fēn wéi氛围shùn jiān瞬间jiù就bèi被fàng dà放大le了。

But if it is paired with a perfectly timed cello piece, that sad atmosphere is instantly amplified.

huà miàn画面ràng让yīn yuè音乐gèng更yǒu有gù shì故事，yīn yuè音乐ràng让huà miàn画面gèng更yǒu有gǎn rǎn lì感染力。

The visuals give the music more story, and the music gives the visuals more emotional power.

zhè这jiù shì就是“xiāng dé yì zhāng相得益彰”。

This is 相得益彰.

zài再bǐ rú比如chuān穿yī fú衣服。

Another example is dressing up.

yī tiáo一条yán sè颜色xiān yàn鲜艳de的sī jīn丝巾，rú guǒ如果dān单kàn看kě néng可能tài太cì yǎn刺眼，yī jiàn一件shēn sè深色de的dà yī大衣yòu又kě néng可能tài太chén mèn沉闷。

A brightly colored silk scarf might look too garish on its own, and a dark coat might look too dull.

dàn但rú guǒ如果bǎ把tā men它们dā搭zài在yì qǐ一起，shēn sè深色yā zhù压住le了xiān yàn鲜艳de的fú zào浮躁，xiān yàn鲜艳yòu又dǎ pò打破le了shēn sè深色de的chén mèn沉闷。

But if you pair them together, the dark color calms the garishness of the bright color, and the brightness breaks the dullness of the dark color.

tā men它们bǐ cǐ彼此dōu都biàn dé变得gèng更hǎo kàn好看le了。

They both become more beautiful.

“xiāng dé yì zhāng相得益彰”zhè ge这个cí词，zuì最mí rén迷人de的dì fāng地方zài yú在于nà ge那个“yì益”zì字——yě也jiù shì就是“gèng jiā更加”。

The most charming part of the phrase 相得益彰 lies in the character 益—which means even more.

tā它gào sù告诉wǒ men我们，zhēn zhèng真正de的pèi hé配合，bú shì不是yī fāng一方xī shēng牺牲zì jǐ自己qù去chèn tuō衬托lìng另yī fāng一方，yě也bú shì不是liǎng两gè rén个人biàn dé变得yī mú yī yàng一模一样。

It tells us that true cooperation is not about one side sacrificing itself to set off the other, nor is it about two people becoming identical.

ér shì而是zài在bǎo liú保留gè zì各自gè xìng个性de的tóng shí同时，hái还néng能jī fā激发duì fāng对方de的qián néng潜能。

Rather, it is about stimulating each other's potential while retaining individual personalities.

wǒ men我们zài在shēng huó生活zhōng中xún zhǎo寻找hé zuò huǒ bàn合作伙伴，huò zhě或者bù zhì布置fáng jiān房间、dā pèi搭配měi shí美食，qí shí其实dōu都shì是zài在xún zhǎo寻找zhè zhǒng这种gǎn jué感觉。

When we look for partners in life, decorate a room, or pair food, we are actually looking for this feeling.

suǒ yǐ所以，xià cì下次dāng当nǐ你fā xiàn发现liǎng yàng dōng xī两样东西fàng放zài在yì qǐ一起，chǎn shēng产生le了yī zhǒng一种“yī jiā yī一加一dà yú大于èr二”de的měi gǎn美感shí时，nǐ你jiù就kě yǐ可以yòng用zhè ge这个cí词。

So, next time you find two things put together that create a beauty where one plus one is greater than two, you can use this term.

tā它zài在tí xǐng提醒wǒ men我们：zuì hǎo最好de的guān xì关系，bú shì不是hù xiāng互相zhē gài遮盖，ér shì而是hù xiāng互相diǎn liàng点亮。

It reminds us: the best relationship is not about covering each other up, but about lighting each other up.

'造句' Feature Usage Guide

造句练习📝

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