携手

• Pinyin: xié shǒu
• Hanzi breakdown: 携 = 扌+ 隽 (hand + carry); 手 = hand (pictograph of a hand)

Meaning

To join hands; to work together; to cooperate closely toward a shared goal.

Literally means 'holding hands together.' Widely used in formal speeches, diplomatic language, and official communiqués to express solidarity or joint effort between parties, nations, or organisations.

Examples

1. 两国领导人决定携手应对气候变化带来的全球性挑战。 The leaders of the two countries decided to join hands to address the global challenge of climate change.
2. 各大科技企业携手合作，共同制定行业数据安全标准。 Major tech companies joined forces to jointly establish industry standards for data security.
3. 他们携手走过了四十年风风雨雨，感情依然深厚。 They walked hand in hand through forty years of ups and downs, and their bond is still deep.

Usage Guide

Context: diplomacy, business, cooperation, speeches

Tone: positive

Do Say

• 两岸企业携手推进清洁能源项目，为区域可持续发展贡献力量。(Enterprises from both sides of the strait joined hands to advance clean energy projects, contributing to regional sustainable development.)
• 我们期待与国际社会携手，共同维护全球贸易体系的稳定。(We look forward to working hand in hand with the international community to maintain the stability of the global trade system.)

Don't Say

• 我和朋友携手去超市 — 携手 sounds overly formal for casual outings; use 一起 instead

Origin & History

携 (to hold/carry by hand) + 手 (hand) — literally 'to hold hands together,' extended to mean joint cooperation

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal