一毛不拔 not pluck a single hair
Explanation
形容人非常吝啬自私，一点也不肯付出。这个成语出自《孟子·尽心上》，故事讲的是战国时期，墨翟的学生禽滑厘问杨朱：“你愿意拔你身上的一毛而利天下吗？”杨朱不允，由此可见杨朱的“为我”思想，即以自我利益为重。后世人们用“一毛不拔”来比喻那些吝啬自私的人。
This idiom describes someone who is very stingy and selfish, not willing to give even the slightest bit. The idiom comes from , which tells the story of during the Warring States period, when Mo Di's student Qin Huai Li asked Yang Zhu: "Would you be willing to pull a single hair from your body to benefit the world?" Yang Zhu refused, showing his "for me" philosophy, which emphasizes self-interest. Later generations used "one hair not plucked" to refer to those who are stingy and selfish.
Origin Story
战国时期，百家争鸣，墨家学派代表墨翟主张“兼爱”、“非攻”，反对自私自利和无原则的仇杀，对立派杨朱则主张一切从自我的利益出发，即“为我”。墨翟的学生禽滑厘问杨朱：“你愿意拔你身上的一毛而利天下吗？”杨朱不允。杨朱认为，人应该以自我利益为重，即使是微不足道的一根毛发，也不能轻易付出。他的这种思想被后人称为“一毛不拔”，用来形容那些非常吝啬自私的人。
During the Warring States Period, when the Hundred Schools of Thought flourished, Mo Di, the representative of the Mohist school, advocated for "universal love" and "non-aggression", opposing selfishness and unprincipled feuds. His opposing party, Yang Zhu, advocated for acting solely out of self-interest, namely "for me." Qin Huai Li, a student of Mo Di, asked Yang Zhu: "Would you be willing to remove a single hair from your body to benefit the world?" Yang Zhu declined. Yang Zhu believed that people should prioritize their own interests, even a tiny hair should not be given away lightly. This way of thinking was later called "not a hair to be removed" by descendants, to describe people who are very stingy and selfish.
Usage
这个成语形容人非常吝啬，不肯付出。常用在批评人性格方面，例如：“他这个人一毛不拔，从来不肯捐款。”
This idiom describes a person who is very stingy and unwilling to give anything. It is often used to criticize a person's character, for example: "He is a tightwad who never donates."
Examples
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他平时就非常吝啬，一毛不拔，从来不肯帮助别人。
tā píng shí jiù fēi cháng lìnsè, yī máo bù bá, cóng lái bù kěn bāng zhù bié rén.
He is usually very stingy, never giving a penny, and never willing to help others.
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这个老板一毛不拔，员工辛辛苦苦工作，却拿不到应有的工资。
zhè ge lǎo bǎn yī máo bù bá, yuán gōng xīn xīn kǔ kǔ gōng zuò, què ná bù dào yīng yǒu de gōng zī
This boss is a tightwad, employees work hard, but do not get the wages they deserve.