Chinese word

和好如初

Pronunciation

Pinyinhé hǎo rú chū

Meaning

  • idiommake up

Example

他们很快就和好如初了。tā men hěn kuài jiù hé hǎo rú chū le

They quickly made up.

Illustration for 和好如初 (make up)

More examples

多年争执后，他们在聚会上意外重逢并和好如初。duō nián zhēng zhí hòu tā men zài jù huì shàng yì wài chóng féng bìng hé hǎo rú chū

After years of disputes, they unexpectedly met again at a gathering and became friends again.

Core concept

A relationship returns to its original closeness after a conflict is fully resolved.

Common phrases

  • 吵架后和好如初chǎo jià hòu hé hǎo rú chū

    make up and return to friendly relations after a quarrel

  • 朋友之间和好如初péng yǒu zhī jiān hé hǎo rú chū

    friends make up and return to friendly relations

Similar words

言归于好yán guī yú hǎo: Marks the end of a quarrel through reconciliation, often after talking things over.
重修旧好chóng xiū jiù hǎo: Rebuilds an old friendship or other once-good relationship.
冰释前嫌bīng shì qián xián: Clears away old grudges so that former tension no longer remains.
破镜重圆pò jìng chóng yuán: Describes two people or groups reuniting after their relationship has fallen apart.

Definition in Chinese

两人或群体在争执后彻底化解矛盾，关系恢复到最初的亲密程度。liǎng rén huò qún tǐ zài zhēng zhí hòu chè dǐ huà jiě máo dùn guān xì huī fù dào zuì chū de qīn mì chéng dù

Word origin

The idiom combines 和 (hé, "harmony") + 好 (hǎo, "good") with 如 (rú, "as") + 初 (chū, "beginning"), picturing restored harmony as a return to the relationship's first state.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, this idiom describes the result of reconciliation, so it suits a relationship that has regained real closeness rather than one in which people have merely stopped arguing.

Other meanings

  • return to being friendsidiom

Opposites

  • 反目成仇fǎn mù chéng chóuturn against each other and become enemiesidiom

Related words

Word lists with this word