A close neighbor is better than a distant relative
Distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors, which means that when there is an emergency need to help, distant relatives are not as good as their neighbors who can help in time. At the same time, this sentence also refers to the usual communication between neighbors is more than distant relatives, so that there is a feeling between neighbors more than distant relatives. It's a common expression that makes people feel warm. It means that the relationship between neighbors is intimate.
Better is better than neighbor.
Interpretation of words
In case of emergency, distant relatives are not as helpful as their neighbors.
Source of words
The fourth fold of Dong Tang Lao written by Qin Jianfu in Yuan Dynasty: "don't you hear about distant relatives? It's not like my neighbor. How can I dare to be a man with words but without faith?"
Examples of words
As the saying goes: a distant relative is not as good as a neighbor. The twenty fourth chapter of the water margin by Shi Naian in Ming Dynasty
Similar western Proverbs
There are similar sentences in the Western Bible, Old Testament, proverbs, chapter 27.
english
Better a neighbor than a brother faroff
Latin
Better a neighbor near than a brother far away
French
Mieux vautunvois in prochequ'unfr è re é loign é
A close neighbor is better than a distant relative
foxes in the city walls and rats on the altars - chéng hú shè shǔ
from ancient times to the present - gèn gǔ tōng jīn