息息相关

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: xī xī xiāng guān
• English Translation: Closely linked / Inextricably related
• Idiom Composition: 「息息」（Every breath; the act of breathing continuously.）＋「相」（Mutually; each other.）＋「关」（To relate to; to concern.）
• Meaning: To be as closely related as breathing; describing a relationship so intimate that one cannot exist without the other or where one directly affects the other.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「息息相关」 contains the following nuances:

• Vital Connection: As the word 息 (xī), meaning 'breath,' suggests, this is not just a casual or administrative relationship. It emphasizes a deep connection involving survival, daily existence, or shared destiny.
• Broad Application: Beyond relationships between people, it is frequently used for abstract concepts and social phenomena, such as the link between 'environment and health' or 'economy and lifestyle.'

3. Usage

「息息相关」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Social Issues and Environment: Used in news or formal essays to explain how a phenomenon has a direct impact on people's lives or interests.
  • Example:「环境保护与我们每个人的健康息息相关。」
    （Environmental protection is closely linked to the health of every one of us.）
• Interdependence: Used to show that two entities share a common fate or are a 'community of shared interests'.
  • Example:「企业的命运与员工的努力息息相关。」
    （The fate of a company is inextricably linked to the efforts of its employees.）
• Daily Life Necessities: Describes a specific item or habit that has become an indispensable part of daily life.
  • Example:「智能手机已经成为与现代人生活息息相关的工具。」
    （Smartphones have already become a tool intimately related to the lives of modern people.）

Additional Examples:

1. 物价的波动与老百姓的日常生活息息相关。
   （Fluctuations in prices are closely linked to the daily lives of ordinary people.）
2. 教育质量的高低与国家的未来息息相关。
   （The quality of education is deeply connected to the future of the nation.）
3. 这两个产业息息相关，一方受损，另一方也会受到影响。
   （These two industries are closely intertwined; if one is damaged, the other will also be affected.）
4. 食品安全是与民众利益息息相关的大事。
   （Food safety is a major issue directly related to the interests of the public.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Nuance Comparison: While the similar idiom 休戚相关 (xiū qī xiāng guān) focuses on sharing 'joys and sorrows' (fate), 息息相关 (xī xī xiāng guān) is more versatile, describing any deep causal or functional connection (e.g., the link between water and life).
• Register: This is primarily a written expression (literary style) but is frequently used in formal spoken contexts like news broadcasts and public speeches.
• Origin: This expression is found in the work Jiu Wang Jue Lun (救亡决论) by the influential Qing Dynasty thinker Yan Fu (严复).

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 休戚相关 (xiū qī xiāng guān): To share joys and sorrows; to have interests and fate closely bound together.
  • 紧密相连 (jǐn mì xiāng lián): To be tightly connected (a more general phrase rather than a formal idiom).
  • 密不可分 (mì bù kě fēn): Inseparable; very close and impossible to separate.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 毫不相干 (háo bù xiāng gān): To have absolutely nothing to do with each other.
  • 风马牛不相及 (fēng mǎ niú bù xiāng jí): Totally unrelated; as far apart as horses and cattle (which do not mate).
  • 无关紧要 (wú guān jǐn yào): Of no importance or consequence.link

6. Summary

The idiom 息息相关 (xī xī xiāng guān) uses the metaphor of breathing to describe two things that are **closely linked**. It suggests a vital, inseparable connection where the state of one directly impacts the other. It is frequently used in formal discussions regarding the environment, economy, or social welfare.