Islands depend on reeds, just as reeds depend on islands (Myanmar proverbs)
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
Mutual dependence is necessary for survival
Literally: islands and reeds relying on each other for support
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Sources & notes
Listed on Wikipedia “List of proverbial phrases” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-30; pending editor spot-check.
Common questions
What does “Islands depend on reeds, just as reeds depend on islands (Myanmar proverbs)” mean?
Mutual dependence is necessary for survival Literally: islands and reeds relying on each other for support
Is “Islands depend on reeds, just as reeds depend on islands (Myanmar proverbs)” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.