leave one's native place; be displaced; uproot oneself
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
to leave one's hometown and live elsewhere (often implying forced or involuntary circumstances)
Typically carries a connotation of hardship, displacement, or being forced to leave due to war, poverty, or disaster. The variant form 离乡背井 (lí xiāng bèi jǐng) is equally common and acceptable.
Zhàn战
zhēng争
pò迫
shǐ使
chéng成
qiān千
shàng上
wàn万
de的
rén人
bèi背
jǐng井
lí离
xiāng乡
。
The war forced thousands upon thousands of people to leave their homes.
Wèi为
le了
móu谋
shēng生
，
tā他
bù不
dé得
bù不
bèi背
jǐng井
lí离
xiāng乡
qù去
dà大
chéng城
shì市
dǎ打
gōng工
。
To make a living, he had no choice but to leave his native place and work in the big city.
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Lí离
xiāng乡
bèi背
jǐng井
duō多
nián年
，
tā他
shǐ始
zhōng终
wàng忘
bù不
liǎo了
gù故
xiāng乡
de的
shān山
shuǐ水
。
Having been away from home for many years, he could never forget the mountains and rivers of his hometown.
Nà那
xiē些
nián年
，
bèi背
jǐng井
lí离
xiāng乡
de的
yóu游
zǐ子
men们
zuì最
xiǎng想
niàn念
de的
jiù就
shì是
jiā家
xiāng乡
de的
wèi味
dao道
。
In those years, what the wanderers who had left their homes missed most was the taste of their hometown.