A1 Proverb Neutral

远亲不如近邻

yuan qin bu ru jin lin

Close neighbors better than distant relatives

Phrase in 30 Seconds

This proverb highlights that neighbors are more helpful in daily life than distant relatives.

  • Means: Nearby help is more practical than distant family support.
  • Used in: Moving house, emergencies, or daily favors.
  • Don't confuse: It doesn't mean you don't love your family.
Distance + Family = Slow help; Proximity + Neighbor = Fast help

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means neighbors are more helpful than family who live far away. Use it when a neighbor helps you.
This proverb teaches that physical distance matters. When you have an emergency, your neighbor can help immediately, while relatives far away cannot. It is a common way to thank your neighbor.
This is a traditional Chinese proverb emphasizing the practical benefits of proximity. It suggests that in daily life, the people living next to you are more reliable for immediate support than distant relatives. It is often used to express gratitude or to encourage building strong community ties.
The proverb '远亲不如近邻' serves as a cultural heuristic for social prioritization. It highlights the pragmatic reality that immediate assistance is more valuable than the theoretical support of distant kin. It is frequently employed in social contexts to reinforce the importance of neighborly relations and mutual aid.
This proverb encapsulates the socio-cultural emphasis on 'neighborhood' (邻里) as a primary support system. It functions as a pragmatic axiom, contrasting the limitations of kinship distance with the utility of spatial proximity. It is a staple of Chinese social discourse, reflecting historical agrarian values where community interdependence was essential for survival.
Rooted in the historical necessity of agrarian communalism, '远亲不如近邻' functions as a linguistic marker of social cohesion. It posits that spatial proximity is a critical variable in the efficacy of social capital. By prioritizing the 'near' over the 'kin', it underscores a utilitarian approach to community building, suggesting that the immediacy of interaction outweighs the abstract obligations of distant lineage.

Bedeutung

Highlights the importance of nearby assistance over distant family support.

🌍

Kultureller Hintergrund

Reflects the importance of village life.

💡

Use it to be polite

Saying this to a neighbor is a great compliment.

Bedeutung

Highlights the importance of nearby assistance over distant family support.

💡

Use it to be polite

Saying this to a neighbor is a great compliment.

Teste dich selbst

Fill in the missing part.

远亲不如______。

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: 近邻

The proverb is 远亲不如近邻.

🎉 Ergebnis: /1

Häufig gestellte Fragen

1 Fragen

No, it is a compliment.

Verwandte Redewendungen

🔗

远水解不了近渴

similar

Distant water cannot quench immediate thirst.

Wo du es verwendest

🍎

Neighbor helps with groceries

You: 谢谢你帮我拿东西！

Neighbor: 不客气，远亲不如近邻嘛。

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a neighbor handing you a cup of sugar while your cousin is stuck in a plane far away.

Visual Association

A split screen: one side shows a neighbor helping move a couch; the other shows a distant relative on a phone screen.

Story

Xiao Wang's pipe burst at midnight. His brother was in another city, but his neighbor, Mr. Li, came over with a wrench in five minutes. Xiao Wang realized: 远亲不如近邻.

Word Web

邻居亲戚帮忙距离社区关系

Herausforderung

Next time a neighbor helps you, say this phrase to them.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Más vale vecino cerca que pariente lejos.

None, the meaning is identical.

French high

Mieux vaut un voisin proche qu'un parent éloigné.

None.

German high

Ein guter Nachbar ist besser als ein ferner Verwandter.

Slightly more focus on the 'good' neighbor.

Japanese high

遠くの親戚より近くの他人.

Uses 'stranger' instead of 'neighbor'.

Arabic moderate

الجار قبل الدار.

Focuses on selection rather than utility.

Chinese high

远亲不如近邻

None.

Korean high

먼 친척보다 가까운 이웃이 낫다.

None.

Portuguese high

Mais vale um vizinho perto do que um parente longe.

None.

Easily Confused

远亲不如近邻 vs. 远水解不了近渴

Both deal with distance.

Use this for solutions, use the other for people.

FAQ (1)

No, it is a compliment.

War das hilfreich?

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