CHENGYU
一见如故(yī jiàn rú gù)meaning, story and origin
- Register:
- neutral, approving
- Source:
- 《左传·襄公二十九年》
MEANING
- Literal
- like old friends at first meeting
- Figurative meaning
- to hit it off instantly
ORIGIN STORY
The Zuo Commentary tells how a prince met a young minister and felt "as if he had known him for years". The phrase describes the rare meeting where strangers feel lifelong familiar.
NATURAL EQUIVALENT
“to hit it off right away”
EXAMPLES
我们虽然第一次见面，却一见如故。Wǒmen suīrán dì yī cì jiànmiàn, què yī jiàn rú gù.HSK6
It was our first meeting, yet we felt like old friends.
两人聊得很投机，一见如故。Liǎng rén liáo de hěn tóujī, yī jiàn rú gù.HSK6
The two hit it off at once — old friends from the first hello.
COMMON MISTAKE
Watch out: It is about warm friendship at first meeting — not romance and not mere politeness.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
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TRUST & SOURCES
- Reviewed by
- AI-assisted editorial review
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-15
- CC-CEDICT 2026-01-01