礼尚往来 — “Courtesy demands reciprocity”
礼尚往来 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Courtesy demands reciprocity”. To return a favor for a favor. Literally, “Courtesy values give and take”.
Frequency
礼尚往来 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- 礼lǐ
- 尚shàng
- 往wǎng
- 来lái
礼尚往来 Character Breakdown
Example Sentence with 礼尚往来
收到朋友的生日礼物，我决定在他生日时也送一份，毕竟礼尚往来是人之常情。
Having received a birthday gift from my friend, I decided to send one on his birthday too, as courtesy demands reciprocity.
Origin and Story of 礼尚往来
During the Spring and Autumn period, Confucius taught his disciples at home, attracting the attention of Duke Ding of Lu, who often invited him to lecture in the palace.
Yang Hu, the chief steward of the Ji family, went specifically to visit Confucius, but Confucius excused himself and did not meet him.
One day, Yang Hu left a roasted suckling pig for Confucius, knowing that Confucius greatly valued the principle of 'courtesy demands reciprocity.' As expected, Confucius eventually paid a return visit to Yang Hu.
Idioms Related to 礼尚往来
Antonyms of 礼尚往来
More idioms starting with 礼
- lǐ礼bù不qīn亲shòu授Etiquette forbids direct physical exchange between sexes
- lǐ礼wéi为qíng情mào貌Etiquette reflects inner feelings
- lǐ礼yì义lián廉chǐ耻propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame
- lǐ礼zhī之yòng用，，hé和wèi为guì贵Harmony is paramount in the use of rites
- lǐ礼yuè乐bēng崩huài坏social order and ethical norms collapse
- lǐ礼yí仪zhī之bāng邦Land of rites and courtesy
- lǐ礼xiān先yī一fàn饭Slightly senior in etiquette or first to show courtesy
- lǐ礼xiān先yī壹fàn饭be slightly more senior in etiquette
- lǐ礼huài坏yuè乐bēng崩Social order collapses, moral principles lost
- lǐ礼huài坏lè乐quē缺social order and morality in disarray
- lǐ礼shì士qīn亲xián贤respect scholars and cherish the virtuous
- lǐ礼duō多rén人bù不guài怪Excessive politeness does no harm
Questions about 礼尚往来
- What does 礼尚往来 mean?
- 礼尚往来 (lǐ shàng wǎng lái) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “Courtesy demands reciprocity”.
- How do you pronounce 礼尚往来?
- 礼尚往来 is pronounced lǐ shàng wǎng lái in Mandarin Chinese.
- What does 礼尚往来 literally mean?
- Literally, 礼尚往来 means “Courtesy values give and take”. It is used to mean “Courtesy demands reciprocity”.
- Where does 礼尚往来 come from?
- 礼尚往来 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
- What is the Chinese definition of 礼尚往来?
- 尚：注重。指礼节上应该有来有往。现也指以同样的态度或做法回答对方。