難兄難弟

		difficult; hard	elder brother	difficult; hard	younger brother
trad. (難兄難弟)		難	兄	難	弟
simp. (难兄难弟)		难	兄	难	弟

Based on a tale in A New Account of the Tales of the World:

陳元方子長文有英才，與季方子孝先，各論其父功德，爭之不能決，咨於太丘。太丘曰：「元方難為兄，季方難為弟。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.][▼ expand/hide]

---

陈元方子长文有英才，与季方子孝先，各论其父功德，争之不能决，咨于太丘。太丘曰：“元方难为兄，季方难为弟。” [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Liu Yiqing (editor), A New Account of the Tales of the World, 4^th century CE

Chén Yuánfāng zǐ Chángwén yǒu yīngcái, yǔ Jìfāng zǐ Xiàoxiān, gè lùn qí fù gōngdé, zhēng zhī bùnéng jué, zī yú Tàiqiū. Tàiqiū yuē: “Yuánfāng nán wéi xiōng, Jìfāng nán wéi dì.” [Pinyin]

The talented son of Yuanfang (Chen Ji), Changwen (Chen Qun), argued with the son of Jifang (Chen Chen), Xiaoxian (Chen Zhong), about the merits and virtues of their fathers. Unable to settle their argument, they consulted Taiqiu (Chen Shi, mayor of Taiqiu County). Taiqiu said, "Jifang is too outstanding for Yuanfang to be his elder brother, and Yuanfang is too outstanding for Jifang to be his younger brother."

難兄難弟

1. hard to tell who is better; to be as good; equally-matched two
2. (ironic) of the same ilk; to be both bad

• 難弟難兄／难弟难兄
• 元方季方

		disaster	elder brother	disaster	younger brother
trad. (難兄難弟)		難	兄	難	弟
simp. (难兄难弟)		难	兄	难	弟

難兄難弟

1. fellow sufferers; in the same boat

• 患難之交／患难之交 (huànnànzhījiāo)