幸灾乐祸 xìng zāi lè huò gloat

Explanation

指对别人的不幸或灾难感到高兴。是一种缺乏同情心和同理心的表现。

To feel happy about other people's misfortune or disaster. It is a manifestation of lack of empathy and compassion.

Origin Story

春秋时期，晋国发生严重的旱灾，颗粒无收，百姓流离失所，国库空虚。晋国向强大的秦国求助，请求购买粮食以渡过难关。秦国国君本想趁机敲诈晋国，但大臣百里奚却劝谏道：“晋国与我秦国同为诸侯国，唇亡齿寒，如今他们遭遇灾难，我们应该施以援手，而不是落井下石，幸灾乐祸。况且，帮助他们也是帮助我们自己。”秦国国君采纳了百里奚的建议，不仅低价卖给晋国大量的粮食，还派人护送，晋国顺利度过了灾荒。第二年，秦国也遭遇了严重的旱灾，而这时，晋国却拒绝了秦国的求援。晋国大臣庆郑对国君说：“施恩于人，必有回报。当年秦国援助我们，如今我们却落井下石，这是一种不仁不义的行为。我们应该记住，‘背施无亲，幸灾不仁’，我们不能幸灾乐祸。”晋国国君这才醒悟，最终同意了援助秦国的请求，两国关系也更加巩固。

chūnqiū shíqī, jìn guó fāshēng yánzhòng de hànzāi, kēlì wú shōu, bǎixìng liúlí shīsuǒ, guókù kōngxū. jìn guó xiàng qiángdà de qín guó qiúzhù, qǐngqiú gòumǎi liángshi yǐ dùguò nánguān. qín guó guójūn běn xiǎng chènjī qiāozhà jìn guó, dàn dà chén bǎilǐ xī què quànjiàn dào: “jìn guó yǔ wǒ qín guó tóngwéi zhūhóu guó, chúnwáng chǐhán, rújīn tāmen zāoyù zāinàn, wǒmen yīnggāi shī yǐ yuánshǒu, ér bùshì luòjǐngxiàshí, xìngzāilèhuò. kuàngqiě, bāngzhù tāmen yěshì bāngzhù wǒmen zìjǐ.” qín guó guójūn cǎinà le bǎilǐ xī de jiànyì, bù jǐn dījià mài gěi jìn guó dàliàng de liángshi, hái pài rén hùsòng, jìn guó shùnlì duguo le zāihūang. dì èr nián, qín guó yě zāoyù le yánzhòng de hànzāi, ér zhè shí, jìn guó què jùjué le qín guó de qiúyuán. jìn guó dà chén qìng zhēng duì guójūn shuō: “shī ēn yú rén, bì yǒu huíbào. dāngnián qín guó yuánzhù wǒmen, rújīn wǒmen què luòjǐngxiàshí, zhè shì yī zhǒng bù rén bù yì de xíngwéi. wǒmen yīnggāi jì zhù, ‘bèi shī wú qīn, xìngzāi bù rén’, wǒmen bù néng xìngzāilèhuò.” jìn guó guójūn zhè cái xǐngwù, zuìzhōng tóngyì le yuánzhù qín guó de qǐngqiú, liǎng guó guānxi yě gèngjiā gùgù.

During the Spring and Autumn Period, the state of Jin suffered a severe drought, resulting in crop failures, displacement of people, and an empty treasury. Jin sought assistance from the powerful Qin, requesting to buy grain to overcome the crisis. The Qin ruler initially wanted to take advantage of the situation to extort Jin, but the minister Baili Xi advised against it, saying, "Jin and our Qin are both vassal states. If one falls, the other will also fall soon. Now that they are facing a disaster, we should help them, rather than add insult to injury and gloat over their misfortune. Besides, helping them is also helping ourselves." The ruler of Qin adopted Baili Xi’s suggestion. Not only did they sell large quantities of grain to Jin at low prices, but also sent people to escort them, and Jin successfully survived the famine. The following year, Qin also encountered a serious drought, but this time Jin refused Qin's request for aid. A Jin minister, Qing Zheng, said to the ruler, "Kindness begets kindness; when Qin aided us, we are now adding insult to injury, and this is unrighteous behavior. We should remember, 'Turn your back on the helpless, and rejoice in their misery.' We should not gloat over others' misfortune." The ruler of Jin then realized and finally agreed to help Qin, and the relationship between the two states became even stronger.

Usage

常用于批评那些对别人的不幸幸灾乐祸的人。

cháng yòng yú pīpíng nàxiē duì biérén de bùxìng xìngzāilèhuò de rén.

Often used to criticize those who gloat over other people's misfortunes.

Examples

• 面对别人的不幸，我们不应该幸灾乐祸。

  miànduì biérén de bùxìng, wǒmen bù yīnggāi xìngzāilèhuò.

  We shouldn't gloat over other people's misfortunes.

• 看到竞争对手失败，他却幸灾乐祸，这实在让人反感。

  kàndào jìngzhēng duìshǒu shībài, tā què xìngzāilèhuò, zhè shízài ràng rén fǎngǎn

  He secretly rejoiced at his competitor's failure, which was really disgusting.

Related Idioms

• 落井下石

• 幸灾乐祸

Opposite Idioms

• 兔死狐悲

• 同病相怜