| 礼尚往来 |
lǐ shàng wǎng lái |
lit. proper behavior is based on reciprocity (idiom) / fig. to return politeness for politeness |
| 礼 |
Lǐ |
surname Li / abbr. for 礼记, Classic of Rites |
| 礼 |
lǐ |
gift / rite / ceremony / CL:份 / propriety / etiquette / courtesy |
| 尚 |
Shàng |
surname Shang |
| 尚 |
shàng |
still / yet / to value / to esteem |
| 往 |
wǎng |
to go (in a direction) / to / towards / (of a train) bound for / past / previous |
| 往 |
wǎng |
old variant of 往 |
| 往来 |
wǎng lái |
dealings / contacts / to go back and forth |
| 来 |
lái |
to come / (used as a substitute for a more specific verb) / hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回来) / ever since (as in 自古以来) / for the past (amount of time) / (prefix) the coming ...; the next ... (as in 来世) / (between two verbs) in order to / (after a round number) approximately / (used after 得 to indicate possibility, as in 谈得来, or after 不 to indicate impossibility, as in 吃不来) |