syun2 jan4 bat1 lei6 gei2損人不利己损人不利己
Jyutpingsyun2 jan4 bat1 lei6 gei2
Yalesyún yàhn bāt leih géi
Definition
To harm others without benefiting oneself; an action that hurts others and brings no advantage to oneself.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This idiom describes actions that are purely destructive or spiteful, where the perpetrator gains absolutely nothing from the harm caused to others. It is often used to criticize someone's irrational behavior or petty vendettas. Unlike simple selfishness, which implies a gain for the actor, this phrase highlights the pointlessness of the malice.
Examples
Why on earth would you do something that harms others without benefiting yourself?
He is always causing trouble, it is basically just harming others without any gain for himself.
Related words
Common phrases
behavior that harms others without benefiting oneself
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with general selfishness, but it specifically requires the absence of any personal benefit. If the person actually gains something, even if it hurts others, this phrase is not appropriate.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
