Definition
情同手足 is a four-character idiom (成语) meaning 'as close as brothers and sisters.' The literal image is 'feelings (情) are the same (同) as hands and feet (手足),' referring to the traditional Chinese view that siblings are as essential as one's own limbs. You use it to describe a deep, brotherly or sisterly bond between people who are not actually related — close friends, war buddies, or colleagues who treat each other like family.
f.e.
to be as close as brothers and sisters
Examples
- ,情同手足,。Tāmen cóngxiǎo yìqǐ zhǎngdà, qíng tóng shǒu zú, gǎnqíng shēn de hěn.They grew up together and are as close as brothers — their bond is very deep.
- 情同手足,。Zhè liǎng wèi lǎo zhànyǒu qíng tóng shǒu zú, jǐshí nián lái hùxiāng bāngzhù.These two old comrades-in-arms are like brothers, helping each other for decades.
- ,情同手足,。Suīrán bú shì qīn xiōngdì, dàn tāmen qíng tóng shǒu zú, shèngsì yì jiā rén.Although they are not biological brothers, they are as close as brothers, closer than family.
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