有害无利 yǒu hài wú lì harmful and unprofitable

Explanation

指某种事物或行为只有坏处，没有好处。

Refers to something or an action that only has disadvantages and no advantages.

Origin Story

从前，在一个偏僻的小山村里，住着一位年迈的老中医。他医术精湛，深受村民爱戴。一天，一位年轻的猎人在打猎时不慎摔伤了腿，疼痛难忍。他来到老中医家求医。老中医检查后，发现猎人的腿骨碎裂，需要立即进行手术。然而，山村条件简陋，医疗设备不足，手术风险极高。老中医犹豫再三，最终决定冒险一试。手术很成功，猎人的腿恢复如初。然而，老中医却为此付出了沉重的代价。由于手术操作不当，他的双手受到了严重的损伤，导致他从此再也无法行医。村民们都很感激老中医的救命之恩，但老中医却陷入了深深的自责之中。他知道，这次手术虽然挽救了猎人的生命，但也让他付出了惨痛的代价，这是一种有害无利的行为，他本应该更加谨慎，避免这样的情况发生。

cóngqián, zài yīgè piānpì de xiǎoshāncūn lǐ, zhù zhe yī wèi niánmài de lǎozhōngyī。tā yīshù jīngzhàn, shēnshòu cūnmín àidài。yītiān, yī wèi niánqīng de liè rén zài dǎliè shí bùshèn shuāishāng le tuǐ, téngtòng nánrěn。tā lái dào lǎozhōngyī jiā qiúyī。lǎozhōngyī jiǎnchá hòu, fāxiàn liè rén de tuǐ gǔ suìliè, xūyào lìjí jìnxíng shǒushù。rán'ér, shāncūn tiáojiàn jiǎnlòu, yīliáo shèbèi bùzú, shǒushù fēngxiǎn jí gāo。lǎozhōngyī yóuyù zàisān, zuìzhōng juédìng màoxiǎn yīshì。shǒushù hěn chénggōng, liè rén de tuǐ huīfù rú chū。rán'ér, lǎozhōngyī què wèi cǐ fùchū le chénzhòng de dàijià。yóuyú shǒushù cāozuò bùdàng, tā de shuāngshǒu shòudào le yánzhòng de sǔnshāng, dǎozhì tā cóngcǐ zài yě wúfǎ xíngyī。cūnmínmen dōu hěn gǎnjī lǎozhōngyī de jiùmìng zhī ēn, dàn lǎozhōngyī què xiànrù le shēn shēn de zìzé zhīzhōng。tā zhīdào, zhè cì shǒushù suīrán wǎnjiù le liè rén de shēngmìng, dàn yě ràng tā fùchū le cǎntòng de dàijià, zhè shì yī zhǒng yǒuhài wúlì de xíngwéi, tā běn yīnggāi gèngjiā jǐnzhèn, bìmiǎn zhè yàng de qíngkuàng fāshēng。

Once upon a time, in a remote mountain village, there lived an elderly traditional Chinese doctor. He was skilled in medicine and was deeply loved by the villagers. One day, a young hunter accidentally injured his leg while hunting, and the pain was unbearable. He went to the old doctor's house for medical treatment. After examination, the old doctor found that the hunter's leg bone was fractured and needed immediate surgery. However, the conditions in the mountain village were poor, and medical equipment was insufficient, making the surgery extremely risky. The old doctor hesitated repeatedly but finally decided to take a chance. The surgery was a success, and the hunter's leg recovered completely. However, the old doctor paid a heavy price for this. Due to improper surgical operation, his hands were seriously injured, causing him to be unable to practice medicine ever again. The villagers were very grateful for the old doctor's life-saving grace, but the old doctor was filled with deep self-blame. He knew that although this surgery saved the hunter's life, it also caused him a painful price; this was an action with more harm than benefit. He should have been more cautious to avoid such a situation.

Usage

用于形容某种行为或事物只有坏处，没有好处。

yòng yú xíngróng mǒuzhǒng xíngwéi huò shìwù zhǐ yǒu huàichù, méiyǒu hǎochù。

Used to describe an action or thing that only has disadvantages and no advantages.

Examples

• 这个计划有害无利，我们应该放弃。

  zhège jìhuà yǒuhài wúlì, wǒmen yīnggāi fàngqì。

  This plan is harmful and useless; we should abandon it.

• 吸烟有害无利，请勿吸烟。

  xīyān yǒuhài wúlì, qǐng wù xīyān。

  Smoking is harmful and offers no benefits; please do not smoke.

• 这种做法有害无利，长远来看会损害公司利益。

  zhè zhǒng zuòfǎ yǒuhài wúlì, chángyuǎn kàn lái huì sǔnhài gōngsī lìyì。

  This approach is harmful and unprofitable; in the long run, it will damage the company's interests.

Related Idioms

• 百害而无一利

• 有害无益

Opposite Idioms

• 有益无害

• 利大于弊