難兄難弟
近義成語
一丘之貉、患難之交
反義成語
反目成仇、恩斷義絕
成語故事
陳寔是縣令,因辦事公正,受百姓信賴。
陳家生活儉樸,陳寔外出辦事,他的大兒子元方拉車,小兒子季方拿手杖跟在後面。
當時,官場黑暗,陳寔許多親友無辜入獄。他為了抗議,要求入獄。從此,他兩個兒子都不見客人,不和外界交往。
後來,陳寔出獄,有人請他做官,都給他拒絕。元方的大兒子和季方的兒子孝先都喜歡誇自己的父親好,經常意見不同,就找祖父陳寔裁決。
陳寔說:「元方難為兄,季方為難弟。」意思是,雖然元方是兄,季方為弟,但從道德學問來說,難分高低。這就是『難兄難弟』的來由。
成語解釋
難ㄋㄢˊ:難為。有災難之意,今常用此音義。
形容兩兄弟都好,才德相當,難分上下。現諷刺兩兄弟都壞。
1難本讀難ㄋㄢˊ,原指兄弟的學業才德不相上下。現也有諷刺兩兄弟都壞的說法。
2後世改難為難ㄋㄢˋ,指處於相同困境的好朋友。
原是恭維人家兄弟都好的話:兄弟德才俱優。但被引申為刻薄人家的用語,罵人家同惡相濟,兩人同樣惡劣。如兄做強盜,弟做小偷;或兄做貪官,弟做奸商,就罵他們是「難兄難弟」。也指處于類似的困難境地。
清‧吳敬梓《儒林外史》第49回:「高老先生原是老先生同盟,將來自是難兄難弟可知。」
1原指兄弟二人都很好,才華品德差不多。2現在的意思相反,指二人同樣壞。
引用文獻
世說新語德行篇:「陳元方子長文有英才,與季方子孝先各論其父功德,爭之不能決,咨於太丘。太丘曰:『元方難為兄,季方難為弟。』」
書言故事兄弟類:「稱人兄弟賢,曰難兄難弟。」
《世說新語》德行:「太丘曰:元方難為兄,季方難為弟。」
成語造句
- 1. 李家兄弟兩人不但互相友愛,而且功課都很好,真是「難兄難弟」。
- 2. 小陳和小李從小情同手足,最近兩人都失業了,真是一對「難兄難弟」。
- 3. 在困難的時刻,這對「難兄難弟」緊密合作,攜手克服了種種挑戰。
- 4. 小華和小明這對「難兄難弟」,經常一起吸煙,一起欺負同學。
- 5. 當年我們在戰場上是同生共死的難兄難弟。
The idiom "難兄難弟" (nán xiōng nán dì) refers to two brothers who are equally difficult or troublesome. Originally, it praised the virtues and talents of two brothers who were equally outstanding. However, over time, the idiom gained a negative connotation and is now used to describe two brothers who are both bad or engaging in similar negative behaviors.
The story behind the idiom involves Chen Shi, a county magistrate known for his fairness and trustworthiness. Chen's family lived a simple life, and when he went out for official duties, his elder son, Yuan Fang, pulled the cart, while his younger son, Ji Fang, followed with a cane. Due to the corrupt state of officialdom, many of Chen's relatives and friends were unjustly imprisoned. In protest, Chen demanded to be imprisoned as well. From that point on, both of his sons refused to meet visitors and cut off contact with the outside world.
After Chen was released from prison, people offered him official positions, but he rejected them all. Whenever Yuan Fang and Ji Fang, who loved to praise their own fathers, had differing opinions, they sought their grandfather Chen Shi's judgment. Chen Shi said, "Yuan Fang is difficult as an elder brother, and Ji Fang is difficult as a younger brother." This meant that although Yuan Fang was the older brother and Ji Fang the younger, their moral and academic achievements were equally difficult to distinguish. This is the origin of the idiom "難兄難弟."
In modern usage, the idiom describes two brothers who are equally troublesome or bad. It can be used to criticize individuals who engage in similar negative activities or find themselves in similar difficult situations.