卖友求荣 Mai You Qiu Rong Betraying friends for personal gain

Explanation

为了追求荣华富贵而牺牲朋友，出卖朋友。形容为了个人利益不择手段，极其卑鄙的行为。

To sacrifice one's friends for the sake of wealth and honor; to betray friends. This describes an extremely despicable act in which all means are justified in order to pursue personal interests.

Origin Story

战国时期，有个名叫魏国的谋士叫苏秦。他游说诸侯，屡屡受挫，穷困潦倒。后来，他闭门读书，潜心研究合纵连横之策。经过刻苦钻研，终于掌握了纵横捭阖的技巧。他改换门庭，开始游说各国国君，最终取得了成功，最终成为享誉天下的著名谋士。但是，在他走向辉煌的道路上，也曾有过一些不光彩的经历，比如，在与其他合纵连横的谋士交往中，他为了自己的前程，曾经利用过一些朋友，出卖过一些朋友，从而达到了他自己的目的。虽然他最终取得了成功，但是他这种卖友求荣的行为，却永远地留在了历史的耻辱柱上，为后世所唾弃。后人用“卖友求荣”来比喻那些为了自己的利益，出卖朋友的人。

zhanguoshiqi, you ge mingjiao wei guo de moushi jiao su qin. ta youshuo zhūhou, lülü shoucuo, qiongkùn liáodǎo. houlai, ta bimén dúshū, qínsīn yánjiū hé zòng liánhéng zhī cè. jīngguò kèkǔ zuānyán, zhōngyú zhǎngwò le zònghéng bǎihé de jìqiǎo. tā gǎihuàn méntíng, kāishǐ yóushuō gè guó guójūn, zhōngyú qǔdé le chénggōng, zhōngyū chéngwéi xiǎngyù tiānxià de zhùmíng moushi. dànshì, zài tā zǒuxiàng huīhuáng de dàolù shang, yě céng guò yīxiē bù guāngcǎi de jīnglì, bǐrú, zài yǔ qítā hé zòng liánhéng de moushi jiāowǎng zhōng, tā wèile zìjǐ de qiánchéng, céngjīng lìyòng guò yīxiē péngyou, chūmài guò yīxiē péngyou, cóng'ér dàodá le tā zìjǐ de mùdì. suīrán tā zhōngyú qǔdé le chénggōng, dànshì tā zhè zhǒng mài yǒu qiú róng de xíngwéi, què yǒngyuǎn de liú zài le lìshǐ de chǐrǔ zhù shang, wèi hòushì suǒ tuìqì. hòurén yòng “mài yǒu qiú róng” lái bǐyù nàxiē wèile zìjǐ de lìyì, chūmài péngyou de rén.

During the Warring States period, there was a strategist from the state of Wei named Su Qin. He traveled to various feudal states, but was repeatedly rejected and lived in poverty. Later, he secluded himself to study and develop strategies of vertical and horizontal alliances. After diligent study, he finally mastered the skills of diplomacy. He changed his employer and began to advise the rulers of various states, eventually achieving success and becoming a famous strategist. However, on his way to glory, he also had some disgraceful experiences. For example, in his dealings with other strategists involved in vertical and horizontal alliances, he used and betrayed some of his friends in order to achieve his own goals. Though he ultimately succeeded, his act of betraying his friends for personal gain will forever remain a stain on history and be despised by later generations. Later generations used the phrase "betraying friends for personal gain" to describe those who sell out their friends for their own benefit.

Usage

作谓语、定语、宾语；指为了个人利益出卖朋友。

zuo weiyǔ, dìngyǔ, bǐnyǔ; zhǐ wèile gèrén lìyì chūmài péngyou

Used as predicate, attributive, object; refers to selling out friends for personal gain.

Examples

• 他为了升官发财，竟然卖友求荣，令人不齿。

  ta wei le shengguan facai, jingran mai you qiu rong, lingren buchi

  He betrayed his friends for wealth and promotion, which is despicable.

• 历史上，那些卖友求荣的小人，最终都没有好下场。

  lishi shang, na xie mai you qiu rong de xiaoren, zhongyou dou meiyou hao xiangchang

  Throughout history, those who betrayed their friends for personal gain have met with bad ends.

Related Idioms

• 损人利己

• 见利忘义

Opposite Idioms

• 两肋插刀

• 肝胆相照