諺語 · a single proverb
同甘共苦
What does 同甘共苦 (tóng gān gòng kǔ) mean?
同甘共苦 (tóng gān gòng kǔ) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "share the sweet, share the bitter." In use it means: True companions go through the good times and the bad together; loyalty means staying for both. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dog.
Literally: "share the sweet, share the bitter."
The reading
Anyone can show up for the celebration. The question is always who shows up for the hard part. Those people-the ones who stayed when it was bitter-are the ones whose presence at the sweet moments actually means something.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Shi Ji 史記, Yue Yi biography (樂毅列傳); Sima Qian
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Friendship, Trust & Speech, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dog, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 同甘共苦 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 同甘共苦 (tóng gān gòng kǔ) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Shi Ji 史記, Yue Yi biography (樂毅列傳); Sima Qian. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 同甘共苦?
In Mandarin it is tóng gān gòng kǔ. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 同甘共苦 aloud in Mandarin.