# 同舟共济

tóng zhōu gòng jì

Work together through difficulty

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Cross the water in the same boat

**Traditional Chinese:** 同舟共濟

**Register:** Positive · workplace

[People & connection](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/relationships)

## When to use it

Use when people share a challenge and cooperate to overcome it.

It implies a shared situation, especially a difficult one.

## Behind the words

Traditional military writing uses people sharing a boat in danger as an example of cooperation. Shared risk gives them a common purpose.

People sharing a boat also share the danger if it cannot cross safely. The image makes a common predicament the reason for cooperation. The idiom fits teams, communities, and partnerships facing difficulty together. It usually carries more urgency than ordinary collaboration. A shared label alone is not enough: the people involved need to contribute toward getting through the same challenge.

## Examples

团队遇到困难时，大家更要同舟共济。

### Traditional Chinese

團隊遇到困難時，大家更要同舟共濟。

tuán duì yù dào kùn nán shí ， dà jiā gèng yào tóng zhōu gòng jì 。

When the team faces difficulties, we need to work together even more.

面对暴雨，居民和救援人员同舟共济。

### Traditional Chinese

面對暴雨，居民和救援人員同舟共濟。

miàn duì bào yǔ ， jū mín hé jiù yuán rén yuán tóng zhōu gòng jì 。

Residents and rescuers worked together through the storm.

公司遇到困难，大家更应该同舟共济。

### Traditional Chinese

公司遇到困難，大家更應該同舟共濟。

gōng sī yù dào kùn nán ， dà jiā gèng yīng gāi tóng zhōu gòng jì 。

When the company faces difficulties, everyone should work together to get through them.

这次项目涉及多个部门，需要同舟共济才能完成。

### Traditional Chinese

這次項目涉及多個部門，需要同舟共濟才能完成。

zhè cì xiàng mù shè jí duō gè bù mén ， xū yào tóng zhōu gòng jì cái néng wán chéng 。

The project involves several departments and needs their cooperation to succeed.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 4, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=214&q=1&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E5%90%8C%E8%88%9F%E5%85%B1%E6%BF%9F)

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