🧊 唇亡齿寒 chún wáng chǐ hán – If the Lips Are Gone, the Teeth Will Feel Cold

🧊 唇亡齿寒 chún wáng chǐ hán – If the Lips Are Gone, the Teeth Will Feel Cold

🔍 What It Means

唇亡齿寒 (chún wáng chǐ hán) literally means “if the lips are gone, the teeth will feel cold.”


Word-for-word:

  • 唇 (chún) – lips
  • 亡 (wáng) – gone / lost
  • 齿 (chǐ) – teeth
  • 寒 (hán) – cold


This idiom teaches that when one part fails, the others will suffer too — especially if they depend on each other.

It shows how people or things that are closely connected rely on each other to survive.


In English, it’s like saying:

  • 🤝 “If one falls, the other follows”
  • 📦 “In it together”
  • 🧱 “Remove one brick, the wall collapses”

🏺 Where It Comes From

This idiom comes from a story in the Zuo Zhuan (左传), an ancient Chinese historical text.


A powerful kingdom wanted to attack another smaller kingdom.

The small kingdom had a neighboring ally — they supported each other like lips protect teeth.

When the larger kingdom defeated the ally first, the small kingdom soon fell too.

Without support, it couldn’t survive.


That became a metaphor:

If two things depend on each other, losing one puts the other at risk.

💬 How to Use It

Use 唇亡齿寒 when talking about:

  • Close partners or allies
  • Friends or coworkers who rely on each other
  • Systems where one failure affects the rest


✅ Often used in history, politics, business, or teamwork

❌ Not used for casual personal feelings or one-way relationships

🎯 Real Examples

1. 这两个公司互相依赖，唇亡齿寒。

(Zhè liǎng ge gōngsī hùxiāng yīlài, chún wáng chǐ hán.)

👉🏻 These two companies depend on each other — if one fails, the other will too.


2. 小国失去盟友后，很快就灭亡了，真是唇亡齿寒。

(Xiǎo guó shīqù méngyǒu hòu, hěn kuài jiù mièwáng le, zhēn shì chún wáng chǐ hán.)

👉🏻 The small country lost its ally and soon collapsed — truly a case of “without lips, the teeth feel the cold.”

⚠️ Common Mistakes (Watch Out!)

❌ Mistake: Using this for things that are not clearly dependent

✅ Correct: Only use it for situations where two sides clearly rely on each other

💡 Memory Tip

Image

Imagine your lips are gone — and your teeth left in the cold wind. 🥶

Without lips, your teeth can’t stay warm.

Strange? Yes. 

Logical? Also yes.


That’s 唇亡齿寒 — when one part is gone, the other suffers too.

🧩 Interactive Practice

Translate this sentence into English:

  • 两个部门合作紧密，唇亡齿寒。

Answer:

  • The two departments work closely together — if one is lost, the other will be affected too.

🌟 Final Thoughts

唇亡齿寒 reminds us that no one survives alone.

In business, in friendships, and even in life — we rely on those around us.


☝️ Ask yourself: Who do you rely on? And who relies on you?

Are your lips keeping your teeth warm?

👉 Stay tuned for the next idiom in this series!