84．儿部 child
难difficult to be 兄elder brother 难difficult to be 弟younger brother
This story took place during the Han Dynasty. A County Magistrate had two gifted sons - Chen Ji and Chen Chen. They both got married and had a child. One day, the two children began arguing over whose father was a better one. Unable to resolve the issue, they went to see their grandfather, the County Magistrate, and asked him to give a judgment. The grandfather smiled and said, "Chen Ji is the best oldest son and Chen Chen is the best youngest son. I cannot tell who is a better one. They both were equal good." We use this idiom to describe two of a kind who are equal worth. However, this idiom is seldom used in the modem Chinese. According to the Modem Chinese Dictionary (Commercial Press 2005), most of time this idiom is used to describe two of a kind who are equal bad. In this case 难兄难弟 is pronounced as to indicate two of a kind who are in equal bad situation.
【拼音】nàn xiōng nàn dì
【解释】指共过患难的人或彼此处于同样困境的人。
【出处】元·张可久《折桂令·湖上饮别》曲:“难兄难弟俱白发相逢异乡.无风无雨未黄花不似重阳.”
