====== bǐ yì shuāng fēi: 比翼双飞 - To Fly Wing to Wing; Inseparable Lovers ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** biyishuangfei, bi yi shuang fei, 比翼双飞, fly wing to wing, inseparable lovers, devoted couple, Chinese wedding blessing, Chinese love idiom, chengyu for marriage, soulmates in Chinese, poetic Chinese phrases
  * **Summary:** A beautiful and profound Chinese idiom (Chengyu), **比翼双飞 (bǐ yì shuāng fēi)** literally means "to fly wing to wing as a pair." It describes a deeply devoted and inseparable couple who navigate life together in perfect harmony, as if they were a single entity. Rooted in the myth of a one-winged bird that can only fly when paired with its mate, this term is a popular and poetic blessing for weddings and anniversaries, symbolizing a lifelong partnership of mutual support and enduring love.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** bǐ yì shuāng fēi
  * **Part of Speech:** Chengyu (成语), Verb Phrase
  * **HSK Level:** N/A (Considered an advanced, literary term)
  * **Concise Definition:** A metaphor for a devoted couple who are always together and act in perfect harmony.
  * **In a Nutshell:** Imagine two birds, each with only one wing. Separately, they are grounded and incomplete. But when they come together, they can soar through the sky. This is the core image of `比翼双飞`. It represents an ideal love where two people are not just together, but are fundamentally interconnected and reliant on each other to face the world. It’s a powerful expression of unity, partnership, and shared destiny.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **比 (bǐ):** To be next to, side-by-side, shoulder-to-shoulder.
  * **翼 (yì):** Wing.
  * **双 (shuāng):** A pair, two, double.
  * **飞 (fēi):** To fly.
When combined, the characters literally paint a picture: "Side-by-side wings, a pair flying." This vivid imagery is the source of its powerful metaphorical meaning for a couple that is perfectly in sync.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
The idiom originates from the legend of the **比翼鸟 (bǐyìniǎo)**, a mythical bird mentioned in ancient texts like the //Classic of Mountains and Seas//. This bird was said to possess only one eye and one wing, requiring a male and female to join together to be ableto see clearly and fly. This story makes `比翼双飞` a symbol not just of love, but of profound interdependence and synergy. A couple described this way isn't just in love; they complete each other.
This imagery was immortalized in the famous 9th-century poem "Song of Everlasting Regret" (《长恨歌》) by Bai Juyi, which laments the tragic love story of Emperor Xuanzong and his concubine Yang Guifei. The poem concludes with the vow:
> 在天愿作比翼鸟，在地愿为连理枝。
> (Zài tiān yuàn zuò bǐyìniǎo, zài dì yuàn wéi liánlǐzhī.)
> "In the heavens, we vow to be two birds flying wing to wing; on earth, we vow to be two trees with branches intertwined."
This couplet has made `比翼双飞` one of the most romantic and enduring expressions in the Chinese language.
**Comparison to Western Concepts:** While similar to "soulmates," `比翼双飞` has a key difference. "Soulmates" often implies a pre-destined, almost passive connection. `比翼双飞`, however, emphasizes the **active, continuous effort of partnership**. The birds must consciously fly together, coordinate their movements, and support each other to stay airborne. It highlights the functional harmony and mutual support required in a long-lasting relationship, a value deeply rooted in Chinese culture.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
`比翼双飞` is a formal and poetic term, primarily used in positive and celebratory contexts.
  * **Weddings and Anniversaries:** This is its most common use. It's frequently seen on wedding invitations, banners, and spoken in toasts to wish the newlyweds a life of harmonious partnership. For example, a wedding MC might say, "祝新人比翼双飞，白头偕老！" (Zhù xīnrén bǐyìshuāngfēi, báitóuxiélǎo! - Wishing the newlyweds a life of harmonious partnership and to grow old together!)
  * **Describing Ideal Love:** People use it to compliment a couple, especially an elderly one, who still demonstrates deep affection and togetherness. Seeing an old couple holding hands might evoke this phrase.
  * **Literature, Music, and Film:** It is a go-to phrase in song lyrics, poems, and scripts to convey a deep, ideal romance.
It is generally too formal and grandiose for casual conversation about a new or fledgling relationship. It's reserved for deep, committed love.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:** 
    * 祝你们新婚快乐，**比翼双飞**，永浴爱河！
    * Pinyin: Zhù nǐmen xīnhūn kuàilè, **bǐyìshuāngfēi**, yǒng yù àihé!
    * English: Wishing you a happy wedding, may you fly wing to wing and bathe in the river of love forever!
    * Analysis: A classic wedding blessing. This is a very common and appropriate way to use the idiom in a formal, celebratory context.
  * **Example 2:** 
    * 看到那对老夫妻，我才真正明白了什么是**比翼双飞**。
    * Pinyin: Kàn dào nà duì lǎo fūqī, wǒ cái zhēnzhèng míngbáile shénme shì **bǐyìshuāngfēi**.
    * English: Seeing that old couple, I finally understood what it truly means to be inseparable partners.
    * Analysis: This sentence uses the idiom to describe a real-life example of ideal love, showing its use as a benchmark for a perfect relationship.
  * **Example 3:** 
    * 他们俩不仅是生活上的伴侣，在事业上也是**比翼双飞**。
    * Pinyin: Tāmen liǎ bùjǐn shì shēnghuó shàng de bànlǚ, zài shìyè shàng yěshì **bǐyìshuāngfēi**.
    * English: The two of them are not only partners in life, but they also soar together in their careers.
    * Analysis: This is a slightly more modern, metaphorical extension of the idiom, applying the concept of harmonious partnership to a professional context for a couple who works together.
  * **Example 4:** 
    * 我们的目标就是像爷爷奶奶那样，**比翼双飞**，相守一生。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen de mùbiāo jiùshì xiàng yéyé nǎinai nàyàng, **bǐyìshuāngfēi**, xiāngshǒu yīshēng.
    * English: Our goal is to be like my grandparents, inseparable partners, staying together for a lifetime.
    * Analysis: Here, the speaker expresses a personal aspiration, using the idiom to define their relationship goals.
  * **Example 5:** 
    * 他们的爱情故事感动了无数人，堪称现代版的**比翼双飞**。
    * Pinyin: Tāmen de àiqíng gùshì gǎndòngle wúshù rén, kānchēng xiàndài bǎn de **bǐyìshuāngfēi**.
    * English: Their love story moved countless people; you could call it a modern-day example of "flying wing to wing."
    * Analysis: This shows how the idiom can be used as a noun concept—"a case of `biyishuangfei`"—to label an exemplary relationship.
  * **Example 6:** 
    * 电影的结局是男女主角终于走到了一起，从此**比翼双飞**。
    * Pinyin: Diànyǐng de jiéjú shì nánnǚ zhǔjiǎo zhōngyú zǒu dàole yīqǐ, cóngcǐ **bǐyìshuāngfēi**.
    * English: The movie's ending shows the male and female leads finally getting together, flying wing to wing ever after.
    * Analysis: A common narrative use, similar to the English "…and they lived happily ever after," but with a specific focus on partnership.
  * **Example 7:** 
    * 这首歌的歌词描绘了一对恋人渴望**比翼双飞**的美好愿景。
    * Pinyin: Zhè shǒu gē de gēcí miáohuìle yī duì liànrén kěwàng **bǐyìshuāngfēi** de měihǎo yuànjǐng.
    * English: The lyrics of this song depict a beautiful vision of two lovers longing to be an inseparable pair.
    * Analysis: This demonstrates how the term is frequently referenced in art and music as an ideal to strive for.
  * **Example 8:** 
    * 真正的爱情不是单方面的付出，而是两个人**比翼双飞**，共同前进。
    * Pinyin: Zhēnzhèng de àiqíng bùshì dān fāngmiàn de fùchū, érshì liǎng gè rén **bǐyìshuāngfēi**, gòngtóng qiánjìn.
    * English: True love isn't one-sided sacrifice, but rather two people flying wing to wing, advancing together.
    * Analysis: This sentence uses the idiom to define the nature of true love, emphasizing mutual effort and shared progress.
  * **Example 9:** 
    * 祝贺李先生和王女士喜结连理，愿他们**比翼双飞**，百年好合。
    * Pinyin: Zhùhè Lǐ xiānshēng hé Wáng nǚshì xǐjiéliánlǐ, yuàn tāmen **bǐyìshuāngfēi**, bǎinián hǎo hé.
    * English: Congratulations to Mr. Li and Ms. Wang on their marriage. May they be inseparable partners and have a hundred years of happiness together.
    * Analysis: This is another example of a very formal and standard congratulatory phrase used in written messages or formal speeches.
  * **Example 10:** 
    * 虽然他们遇到了很多困难，但他们依然坚信能够一起**比翼双飞**。
    * Pinyin: Suīrán tāmen yù dàole hěnduō kùnnán, dàn tāmen yīrán jiānxìn nénggòu yīqǐ **bǐyìshuāngfēi**.
    * English: Although they encountered many difficulties, they still firmly believed they could face them together as an inseparable pair.
    * Analysis: This shows the idiom isn't just for celebration, but also represents the resilience and determination of a committed couple to stay together through hardship.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  * **Exclusively for Romantic Couples:** This is the most important rule. **Never** use `比翼双飞` to describe close friends, family members, or business partners. It is strictly for romantic, committed couples. Using it for two best friends would sound strange and imply they are in a romantic relationship.
  * **For Committed Relationships Only:** Using this for a couple that just started dating is overkill. It would be like writing a sonnet for someone you just had coffee with. The term implies a deep, lasting, and often lifelong commitment, like marriage.
  * **"False Friend" vs. "Lovebirds":** While an English speaker might be tempted to translate this as "lovebirds," `比翼双飞` carries much more weight. "Lovebirds" can be cute and a bit casual, describing a couple that is very affectionate in the early stages. `比翼双飞` is more profound, poetic, and formal, speaking to the core structure of the partnership itself, not just the affection. It's about shared destiny, not just public displays of affection.
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[白头偕老]] (báitóuxiélǎo) - To grow old together until your hair is white. Often used alongside `比翼双飞` as a standard wedding blessing.
  * [[连理枝]] (liánlǐzhī) - "Intertwined branches." The second half of the famous line from "Song of Everlasting Regret," it's a synonym for an inseparable couple.
  * [[天长地久]] (tiānchángdìjiǔ) - As eternal as heaven and earth. Describes an everlasting love or bond.
  * [[形影不离]] (xíngyǐngbùlí) - "Body and shadow not separating." Describes two people who are always together. It is more general and can be used for very close friends as well as couples.
  * [[举案齐眉]] (jǔ'ànqíméi) - "Lifting the tray to eyebrow level." An idiom describing deep, mutual respect between a husband and wife.
  * [[夫唱妇随]] (fūchàngfùsuí) - "The husband sings and the wife follows." A more traditional (and now somewhat dated) term for a harmonious marriage where the wife supports the husband's lead.
  * [[情投意合]] (qíngtóuyìhé) - To be perfectly matched in temperament and affection; to hit it off perfectly.
  * [[心心相印]] (xīnxīnyāngyìn) - "Heart to heart in understanding." Describes a deep, mutual, and often unspoken understanding between two people.
  * [[成语]] (chéngyǔ) - The general term for a four-character Chinese idiom, which `比翼双飞` is a prime example of.