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水魚の交わり (すいぎょのまじわり) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
expression, noun
close friendship ; inseparable relationship
idiomatic expression
Idiomatic expression likening a deep, inseparable bond to the relationship between water and fish. Often used in literary or formal contexts to describe a very close, mutually dependent friendship.
彼かれ
ら
の
関かん
係けい
は
まさに
水すい
魚ぎょ
の
交まじ
わり
だ
。
Their relationship is truly like that of water and fish.
Kanji 交 mingle, mixing, association Similar words 親しん 友ゆう 親友 is a common, everyday word for a close friend, while 水魚の交わり is a literary, idiomatic expression emphasizing an inseparable, mutually dependent bond.
刎ふん 頸けい の 交まじ わり Both are classical idioms for deep friendship. 刎頸の交わり implies a bond so strong one would die for the other, while 水魚の交わり emphasizes inseparability and mutual reliance.
Etymology Derived from classical Chinese literature, where the relationship between water and fish symbolizes an inseparable, mutually dependent bond. The exact historical origin is uncertain, but the phrase has been used in Japanese literary contexts for centuries.
