挨家挨户

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: āi jiā āi hù
• English Translation: Door-to-door (from house to house)
• Idiom Composition: 「挨」（In order or one by one (following a sequence)）＋「家」（House or family）＋「挨」（Next to or sequentially (repeated for emphasis)）＋「户」（Door or household）
• Meaning: To visit every single house in a neighborhood or area in sequence without skipping any. It describes a methodical action that covers all households, often for surveys, sales, searches, or notifications.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「挨家挨户」 contains the following nuances:

• Thoroughness and Sequence: The repetition of 挨 (āi), which means 'in order,' emphasizes that the action is not random. It highlights a systematic approach where every single household is included in the sequence.
• Effort and Diligence: The act of visiting every home implies a significant investment of time and labor. It suggests that the person performing the action is being extremely thorough and leaving no stone unturned.

3. Usage

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

• Outreach activities (surveys, sales, or notifications): Used when visiting every home for a specific purpose, such as a census, door-to-door sales, or delivering community notices.
  • Example:「社区志愿者挨家挨户分发防疫物资。」
    （Community volunteers are distributing epidemic prevention materials door-to-door.）
• Searching or verifying: Used when searching for a lost item or person, or when police are conducting a thorough investigation of an area.
  • Example:「警察正在这一带挨家挨户排查嫌疑人。」
    （The police are currently conducting a house-to-house search for the suspect in this area.）

Additional Examples:

1. 推销员挨家挨户地推销新产品，但效果并不理想。
   （The salesman went door-to-door to promote the new product, but the results were not ideal.）
2. 为了寻找走失的小狗，他挨家挨户地询问邻居。
   （To find his lost puppy, he asked his neighbors from house to house.）
3. 过年时，孩子们喜欢挨家挨户去拜年讨糖果。
   （During the New Year, children love to go from house to house to give greetings and ask for candy.）
4. 人口普查员必须挨家挨户登记信息，确保数据准确。
   （Census takers must register information door-to-door to ensure the data is accurate.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• The structure 挨...挨... (āi... āi...) is a common linguistic pattern used to emphasize continuity and thoroughness. A similar variation is 挨门挨户 (āi mén āi hù), which literally means 'from gate to gate.'
• In traditional Chinese society, particularly in rural villages or old urban alleys known as Hutong (胡同), neighbors lived in very close proximity. This made 挨家挨户 (āi jiā āi hù) a standard way to communicate news or conduct community business. While modern high-rise security makes this more difficult today, the term remains essential for official surveys and emergency community outreach.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 挨门逐户 (āi mén zhú hù): To go from door to door; essentially synonymous with 挨家挨户 (āi jiā āi hù).
  • 比屋连格 (bǐ wū lián gé): Describes houses standing side by side in a row; figuratively refers to every single household in a neighborhood.
  • 家家户户 (jiā jiā hù hù): Every household; each and every family.link
  • 千家万户 (qiān jiā wàn hù): Refers to numerous families and households.link
• Opposite Idioms:

6. Summary

The idiom 挨家挨户 (āi jiā āi hù) refers to the act of going through an entire area house by house. It is a practical and common expression used when an activity—such as a census, a sales pitch, or a search—requires reaching every single family in a specific location. It carries a nuance of being thorough and systematic.