seek refuge with relatives; go to live with relatives
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
to go to live with relatives; to seek refuge with relatives
Typically used when someone is in difficulty (financial hardship, disaster, unemployment, etc.) and needs to rely on relatives for temporary support or shelter. Often appears in the set phrase '投亲靠友'.
Tā他
shī失
yè业
hòu后
zhǐ只
hǎo好
tóu投
qīn亲
kào靠
yǒu友
，
sì四
chù处
jiè借
qián钱
dù度
rì日
。
After losing his job, he had no choice but to seek help from relatives and friends, borrowing money everywhere to get by.
Zhàn战
zhēng争
bào爆
fā发
hòu后
，
xǔ许
duō多
nàn难
mín民
tóu投
qīn亲
dào到
xiāng乡
xià下
bì避
nàn难
。
After the war broke out, many refugees sought refuge with relatives in the countryside.
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Gǔ古
shí时
hou候
，
rén人
men们
táo逃
huāng荒
cháng常
cháng常
xū需
yào要
tóu投
qīn亲
kào靠
yǒu友
cái才
néng能
shēng生
cún存
。
In ancient times, people fleeing famine often needed to seek help from relatives and friends in order to survive.
Tā他
nián年
qīng轻
shí时
tóu投
qīn亲
dào到
wài外
dì地
jiù舅
jiu舅
jiā家
，
hòu后
lái来
jiù就
zài在
nà那
lǐ里
dìng定
jū居
le了
。
When he was young, he went to live with his uncle in another place, and later settled down there.