Chinese Conversation · Level 81
91 words
Chinese word
投桃报李
Pronunciation
Pinyintóu táo bào lǐ
Meaning
- idiomreturn the favor
Example
邻居请客，我也要投桃报李。lín jū qǐng kè wǒ yě yào tóu táo bào lǐ
My neighbor invited me over, so I will return the favor.
More examples
朋友帮我搬家，我用礼物投桃报李。péng yǒu bāng wǒ bān jiā wǒ yòng lǐ wù tóu táo bào lǐ
My friend helped me move, so I returned the favor with a gift.
Core concept
Goodwill passes from one person to another and is answered in kind, keeping the relationship mutually cared for.
Common phrases
用礼物投桃报李yòng lǐ wù tóu táo bào lǐ
return the favor with a gift
Similar words
礼尚往来lǐ shàng wǎng lái: Returning gifts, favors, or polite treatment expresses the expected give-and-take of good manners.
知恩图报zhī ēn tú bào: Repaying a favor because its kindness is remembered expresses gratitude and a wish to return it.
Definition in Chinese
对别人给予的好意用相当的礼物或行为回报。duì bié rén jí yǔ de hǎo yì yòng xiāng dāng de lǐ wù huò xíng wéi huí bào
Word origin
The wording echoes a classical Book of Songs image of returning a gift with another gift, and the concrete peach-and-plum pairing turns that idea into a memorable four-character expression.
Usage tips
- The response is judged by goodwill rather than exact price or identical form, so the idiom does not require a literal or perfectly equal exchange.
Other meanings
- one good turn deserves anotheridiom