📖 Meaning
A couple bound together by the basic necessities of life such as firewood and rice. It refers to a husband and wife united by practical material needs rather than romantic love, typically living in humble or impoverished circumstances. The phrase highlights the pragmatic foundation of many traditional marriages.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from a Chinese folk proverb: '香烟兄弟，柴米夫妻' (Incense brothers, firewood-and-rice husband and wife). The proverb contrasts two kinds of relationships: brotherhood sealed by burning incense together, and marriage sustained by sharing the daily necessities of firewood and rice. It reflects the traditional Chinese view that marriage was often a practical partnership built on meeting basic survival needs rather than on romantic ideals. Over time, the phrase '柴米夫妻' alone came to denote a poor couple whose union is rooted in shared material struggle.
💡 Example Usage
他们本是柴米夫妻，日子虽清贫却也安稳。
They were a couple bound by daily necessities; though life was poor, it was peaceful and stable.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
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🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 柴米夫妻
- Pinyin: chái mǐ fū qī
- Literal Translation: firewood, rice, husband, wife
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4