爱屋及乌
(Ài wū jí wū)
Literal Meaning: “Love the house, and even the crows on its roof.”
This refers to loving someone or something so much that you extend that love to everything associated with it, even things that might not typically be desirable (like crows, which are often seen as unlucky or unattractive birds in Chinese culture).
Figurative Meaning: To love someone so much that you also love everything associated with them; to extend your affection to someone or something because of your love for another person. This idiom describes how deep love for a person naturally extends to appreciation for their family, friends, possessions, or anything connected to them.
The idiom comes from an ancient story where someone loved a person so much that they even loved the crow perched on their house roof – something normally considered inauspicious or undesirable became lovable through association.
Usage Example: 她爱屋及乌，连男友的宠物狗也特别疼爱。
Hanyu Pinyin: Tā ài wū jí wū, lián nángyǒu de chǒngwù gǒu yě tèbié téng’ài.
English Meaning: Because of her deep love for him, she adores even her boyfriend’s pet dog.
Bible Verse: 1 John 4:21 – “And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”
This verse parallels the concept of extending love. Just as 爱屋及乌 describes loving everything connected to someone we cherish, this verse teaches that genuine love for God naturally extends to loving others. Both emphasize how authentic love doesn’t remain isolated but flows outward to embrace what is connected to the object of our affection, creating a broader circle of care and appreciation.
Personal Reflection: Loving people can sometimes be difficult, even those closest to us. They may have some characteristics or habits that we do not like, but because we love them, we learn to accept them.
But what about the other people whom we meet and don’t know?
