相看两厌

[Pedroski]

How would you phrase 相看两厌 in English? Or is it open to interpretation on its level of severity?

 

尽管相看两厌，但中日两国公众都希望紧张局势能够有所缓解. (South China Morning Post)

[aone]

Originally, it means two persons are sick of each other's appearance. 

[Pedroski]

www.nanzao.com/sc/international/37612/diao-cha-ban-shu-zhong-guo-ren-ren-wei-zhong-ri-nan-mian-yi-zhan

 

This poem is probably the source of the phrase.

 

众鸟高飞尽，孤云独去闲。
相看两不厌，只有敬亭山。

 

Here 相看两不厌 probably means 'never get bored with looking at each other'. But can you apply that to 相看两厌? Do the Chinese just feel bored with looking at the Japanese? Or something stronger?

[aone]

Yes. 相看两不厌 means "never get bored with looking at each other" while 相看两厌 means the opposite 。 It is weaker description on the political relationship between the two countries. 

[陳德聰]

How are you rendering the rest of the article? According to the article and the phrase in question, it's both sides that "厌" each other.

 

根据调查，38%的日本人认为，战争是可以避免的，但这比2013年的调查结果降低了9个百分点。调查还发现，93%的日本人对中国人看法不佳，创开始调查以来最高纪录；相比之下，对日本人印像不佳的中国人比例下降了6个百分点，至87%。

 

在日本受访者当中，超过半数对中国持负面看法的人认为，中国的行为不符合国际规则。

 

围绕钓鱼岛（日本称尖阁列岛)的争端以及历史问题是中国受访者对日本持负面看法的主要原因，不过选择这一原因的受访者比例稍有下降。钓鱼岛目前由日本控制，中国声称对其拥有主权。

 

尽管相看两厌，但中日两国公众都希望紧张局势能够有所缓解。

Though the Chinese and Japanese public may harbour negative opinions towards each other, both sides hope to see the tense situation resolved.

[Pedroski]

Thanks, I like that. I read that the Japanese are often surprised by the amount of naked hatred coming from China. Their history books have not taught them why this might be. The latest Prime Minister in Japan also seems to want to do anything he can to aggravate the situation, probably egged on by the Americans in the background. ('We gotta contain China, or the world will not be our playground anymore.')