劳民伤财 láo mín shāng cái to tire the people and waste money

Explanation

这个成语的意思是，不仅使百姓劳苦，还浪费钱财。它通常用来批评那些不顾百姓死活，只顾自己享乐的统治者或官员，或者用来形容那些不计成本，最终却得不偿失的行动。

This idiom means that it not only makes the people suffer, but also wastes money. It is often used to criticize rulers or officials who disregard the lives of the people and only care about their own enjoyment, or to describe actions that are not cost-effective and ultimately end up being a waste of time and money.

Origin Story

话说古代有一个昏庸的君主，他热衷于修建一座奢华的宫殿，以彰显他的富贵和威严。他下令全国各地征调工匠和劳力，并耗费了大量的金钱和资源。工匠们日夜不停地工作，百姓们也被迫服徭役，苦不堪言。然而，这座宫殿最终建成后，却并没有带来多少实际的好处，反而加重了百姓的负担，最终沦为一座空置的建筑，成为后人嘲讽的“劳民伤财”的典型案例。

huì shuō gǔ dài yǒu yī gè hūn yōng de jūn zhǔ, tā rè zhōng yú xiū jiàn yī zuò shē huá de gōng diàn, yǐ zhāng xiǎn tā de fù guì hé wēi yán. tā xià lì quán guó gè dì zhēng diào gōng jiàng hé láo lì, bìng hào fèi le dà liàng de jīn qián hé zī yuán. gōng jiàng men rì yè bù tíng dì gōng zuò, bǎi xìng men yě bèi pò fú yáo yì, kǔ bù kān yán. rán ér, zhè zuò gōng diàn zuì zhōng jiàn chéng hòu, què bìng méi yǒu dài lái duō shǎo shí jì de hǎo chù, fǎn ér jiā zhòng le bǎi xìng de fù dàn, zuì zhōng lún wéi yī zuò kōng zhì de jiàn zhú, chéng wéi hòu rén cháofěng de “láo mín shāng cái” de diǎn xíng àn lì.

It is said that in ancient times, there was a foolish monarch who was eager to build a luxurious palace to show off his wealth and power. He ordered craftsmen and laborers to be conscripted from all over the country, and he spent a huge amount of money and resources. The craftsmen worked day and night without stopping, and the people were forced to do forced labor, suffering greatly. However, after the palace was finally built, it did not bring much practical benefit, but instead increased the burden on the people, and eventually became a vacant building, becoming a typical example of “wasting people’s efforts and money” that people later mocked.

Usage

这个成语通常用来形容那些不顾百姓死活，只顾自己享乐的统治者或官员，或者用来形容那些不计成本，最终却得不偿失的行动。

zhè ge chéng yǔ tóng cháng yòng lái xíng róng nà xiē bù gù bǎi xìng sǐ huó, zhǐ gù zì jǐ xiǎng lè de tóng zhì zhě huò guān yuán, huò zhě yòng lái xíng róng nà xiē bù jì chéng běn, zuì zhōng què dé bù cháng shī de xíng dòng.

This idiom is often used to criticize rulers or officials who disregard the lives of the people and only care about their own enjoyment, or to describe actions that are not cost-effective and ultimately end up being a waste of time and money.

Examples

• 为了修建这座宏伟的宫殿，统治者不惜劳民伤财，最终却得不偿失。

  wèi le xiū jiàn zhè zuò hóng wěi de gōng diàn, tóng zhì zhě bù xī láo mín shāng cái, zuì zhōng què dé bù cháng shī.

  To build this magnificent palace, the ruler spared no expense or effort, but ultimately it was a waste of resources.

• 这个项目耗费了大量人力物力，最终却劳民伤财，让人唏嘘。

  zhè ge xiàng mù hào fèi le dà liàng rén lì wù lì, zuì zhōng què láo mín shāng cái, ràng rén xī xū

  This project consumed a lot of manpower and resources, but ultimately it was a waste of time and money, which is a pity.

Related Idioms

• 事倍功半

• 舍本求末

• 因小失大

Opposite Idioms

• 事半功倍

• 一举两得

• 一箭双雕