依靠

• Pinyin: yī kào
• Hanzi breakdown: 依 = 亻 (person radical) + 衣 (clothes), to lean against or depend on; 靠 = 告 (to report/tell) + 非 (not), to lean on or rely on

Meaning

To rely on; to depend on; to lean on. Also used as a noun meaning a support or something one can rely on.

Can describe physical reliance (依靠父母生活 — to depend on one's parents for a living) or emotional/social support (精神上的依靠 — emotional support). As a noun: 没有依靠 (to have no one to lean on). Slightly more formal and literary than 靠.

Examples

1. 年老的父母生活上需要依靠子女的照顾。 Elderly parents need to rely on their children for daily care.
2. 他在新城市没有朋友，只能依靠自己的努力生活。 He has no friends in the new city and can only rely on his own efforts to get by.
3. 植物需要依靠阳光和水分才能正常生长。 Plants need to rely on sunlight and water in order to grow normally.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, emotional, professional

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我们不能过分依靠别人，要学会独立。(We cannot rely on others too much — we must learn to be independent.)
• 她是家里唯一的经济依靠。(She is the sole financial support in the family.)

Don't Say

• 把'依靠'用于物体对物体的物理支撑 (For inanimate objects resting against each other, 靠着 is more natural — 依靠 is better used for people or living things relying on support)

Origin & History

A compound of 依 (to lean/depend on, from 亻person + 衣 clothes — like leaning against clothing for support) and 靠 (to lean against/rely on). Together they emphasise reliance and support.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal