DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

如膠似漆

简如胶似漆 · 繁如膠似漆

Mandarin · pinyin rú jiāo sì qī

stuck together as by glue (of lovers)
joined at the hip

Full entryShow on map

Characters in this entry

如: rú · if, supposing; as if; like, as
膠: Look up this written character
似: sì · resemble, similar to; as if, seem
漆: qī · varnish, lacquer, paint
胶: jiāo · glue, gum, resin, rubber; sound; shin bone

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

Explore the spelling

Mandarin tones

2–1–4–1 · ru2 jiao1 si4 qi1

Compare attested words with these syllables ↗

Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

Connected dictionary

4character links

Explore word families ↗Compare pronunciations ↗Open character structure ↗

Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.

Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

如膠似漆 · find source passages ↗ · 如胶似漆 · find source passages ↗

Explore Classical grammar ↗

Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

jyu4 gaau1 ci5 cat1

Cantonese word readings for 如膠似漆. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(simile) to cleave together as firmly and inseparably as glue and lacquer; to love each other dearly; to be closely bound together (as lovers)

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack