# 完璧归赵

wán bì guī zhào

Return something intact to its owner

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Return the jade intact to Zhao

**Traditional Chinese:** 完璧歸趙

**Register:** Positive · literary

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

## When to use it

Use for returning a borrowed object safely and completely.

It can sound playful or literary in an everyday context.

## Behind the words

A historical account tells of Lin Xiangru protecting a precious jade and returning it to Zhao. The intact return is the central image.

The intact jade in the traditional account becomes a symbol of successfully returning something valuable to its rightful owner. Modern use often concerns borrowed objects or entrusted materials, and can be lightly humorous for everyday belongings. The object should be returned complete and undamaged. Merely sending back a replacement or returning an item in worse condition does not preserve the force of 完璧.

## Examples

你的相机我用完了，现在完璧归赵。

### Traditional Chinese

你的相機我用完了，現在完璧歸趙。

nǐ de xiàng jī wǒ yòng wán le ， xiàn zài wán bì guī zhào 。

I’ve finished using your camera; here it is, returned safe and sound.

你借给我的相机，我已经完璧归赵了。

### Traditional Chinese

你借給我的相機，我已經完璧歸趙了。

nǐ jiè gěi wǒ de xiàng jī ， wǒ yǐ jīng wán bì guī zhào liǎo 。

I have returned your borrowed camera in perfect condition.

展览结束后，所有文物都完璧归赵。

### Traditional Chinese

展覽結束後，所有文物都完璧歸趙。

zhǎn lǎn jié shù hòu ， suǒ yǒu wén wù dōu wán bì guī zhào 。

After the exhibition, every artifact was returned intact to its owner.

她小心保管原稿，活动一结束就完璧归赵。

### Traditional Chinese

她小心保管原稿，活動一結束就完璧歸趙。

tā xiǎo xīn bǎo guǎn yuán gǎo ， huó dòng yì jié shù jiù wán bì guī zhào 。

She carefully protected the original manuscript and returned it intact when the event ended.

## 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=340&q=1&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E5%AE%8C%E7%92%A7%E6%AD%B8%E8%B6%99)

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- [忘年之交 wàng nián zhī jiāo A friendship across a substantial age difference ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/wang-nian-zhi-jiao)

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