idiom (chengyu) HSK 6
complete strangers · never met before · not previously acquainted
Meaning
This four-character idiom describes two people who have never met or known each other before. It literally means having been plain strangers throughout one's life. The phrase emphasizes the complete absence of any prior relationship or familiarity between individuals.
Usage
Used in both written and spoken formal contexts when describing people meeting for the first time or when emphasizing lack of prior connection. Often appears in literary works and news reports. Common pattern: 我们素昧平生 (we are complete strangers).
Examples
- 01虽然我们素昧平生，但他毫不犹豫地伸出援手帮助了我。, .Although we were complete strangers, he did not hesitate to extend a helping hand to me.
- 02这两位科学家素昧平生，却在学术会议上一见如故。, .These two scientists had never met before, yet they hit it off immediately at the academic conference.
Characters
Common collocations
- 素昧平生的人people who have never met
- 我们素昧平生we are complete strangers
Antonyms
Origin
From classical Chinese. 素 (always) + 昧 (ignorant of) + 平生 (one's whole life) = having been mutually unknown throughout one's entire life. The compound 平生 means one's lifetime or whole life.