家书抵万金

家書抵萬金

jiāshūdǐwànjīn

idiom

Meanings

1 a letter from home is worth ten thousand pieces of gold
2 news from family is priceless, especially in wartime or long separation

Characters

be worth, equal

Examples

HSK 5

留学生看到父母发来的视频，仿佛家书抵万金。

Liúxuéshēng kàndào fùmǔ fālái de shìpín, fǎngfú jiāshūdǐwànjīn.

For students abroad, a video call from parents feels like 'a letter from home worth ten thousand gold.'

HSK 7-9

父亲在前线收到家信，真是家书抵万金。

Fùqin zài qiánxiàn shōudào jiāxìn, zhēnshì jiāshūdǐwànjīn.

At the front, father received a letter from home - truly 'a letter from home worth ten thousand gold.'

Tips

history

From Du Fu 杜甫's 《春望》 (Tang), written during the An Lushan rebellion: 烽火连三月，家书抵万金 (Beacon fires have burned for three months on end; a letter from home is worth ten thousand pieces of gold.) Composed while Du Fu was stranded in rebel-occupied Chang'an, separated from his family.

usage

抵 (dǐ) here = to be worth / equal to, not 'resist.' Has become an idiom used for any long-distance correspondence.

Stroke Order

家 jiā

书 shū

抵 dǐ

万 wàn

金 jīn