礼尚往来 (禮尚往來)
lǐ shàng wǎng lái
Pinyin

Definition

礼尚往来 (禮尚往來)
 - 
lǐ shàng wǎng lái
  1. lit. proper behavior is based on reciprocity (idiom)
  2. fig. to return politeness for politeness

Character Decomposition

Related Words (20)

和尚
hé shang
  1. 1 Buddhist monk
尚
Shàng
  1. 1 surname Shang
往
wǎng
  1. 1 to go (in a direction)
  2. 2 to
  3. 3 towards
  4. 4 (of a train) bound for
  5. 5 past
  6. 6 previous
往事
wǎng shì
  1. 1 past events
  2. 2 former happenings
往往
wǎng wǎng
  1. 1 usually
  2. 2 in many cases
  3. 3 more often than not

Idioms (20)

一如既往
yī rú jì wǎng
  1. 1 just as in the past (idiom); as before
  2. 2 continuing as always
一往无前
yī wǎng wú qián
  1. 1 to advance courageously (idiom)
  2. 2 to press forward
丈二和尚，摸不着头脑
zhàng èr hé shang , mō bu zháo tóu nǎo
  1. 1 lit. like a three-meter high monk, you can't rub his head (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. at a total loss
三个和尚没水喝
sān gè hé shang méi shuǐ hē
  1. 1 lit. three monks have no water to drink (idiom)
  2. 2 fig. everybody's business is nobody's business
  3. 3 (If there is one monk, he will fetch water for himself. If there are two, they will fetch water together. But if there are three or more, none will take it upon himself to fetch water.)
人往高处走，水往低处流
rén wǎng gāo chù zǒu , shuǐ wǎng dī chù liú
  1. 1 man seeks his way up just as water seeks its way down (idiom)
  2. 2 one should constantly strive to make progress

Sample Sentences

小时候，我最护着你小姨了，所以她现在特别疼你。等明年她要是有孩子了，这钱还得返回去。这叫礼尚往来。懂吗？
xiǎoshíhou ，wǒ zuì hù zhe nǐ xiǎoyí le ，suǒyǐ tā xiànzài tèbié téng nǐ 。děng míngnián tā yàoshì yǒu háizi le ，zhè qián hái děi fǎn huíqù 。zhè jiào lǐshàngwǎnglái 。dǒng ma ？
When we were little, I always took the best care of your auntie. So now she loves you dearly. Next year, if she has a child, you'll have to give this money back. That's called, ``what goes around, comes around." Do you understand?
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