📖 Meaning
Describes a deep and sincere friendship where two people share the same values and feelings. The term draws on the imagery of gold (unbreakable) and orchids (fragrant) to convey a bond of sworn brotherhood. It is equivalent to the variant form 契若金兰.
📜 Origin Story
The imagery originates from the Book of Changes (易经, Yijing), specifically the commentary that states two people of one heart can cut through metal, and words spoken in kindred spirit are fragrant like orchids. From this came the phrase 金兰 to denote sworn, sincere friendship. Later writers combined 契合 (to agree or be of like mind) with 金兰 to form 契合金兰, describing friends whose bond is as firm as gold and as pleasant as orchids. The variant 契若金兰 appears interchangeably in classical and later texts.
💡 Example Usage
他们二人性格相投，契合金兰，成为一生的好友。
The two of them got along so well that they formed a deep, lifelong friendship.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 契合金兰
- Pinyin: qì hé jīn lán
- Literal Translation: agree, fit, gold, orchid
- Category: Emotion
- Characters: 4