趋利避害 qū lì bì hài seek advantages and avoid disadvantages

Explanation

指趋向有利的方面，避开有害的方面。比喻人总是追求对自己有利的事物，回避对自己有害的事物。

To seek advantages and avoid disadvantages. It is a metaphor that people always pursue things that are beneficial to themselves and avoid things that are harmful to themselves.

Origin Story

话说古代有一个勤劳的农夫，他每天辛苦耕作，却总是收成不好。他很苦恼，便去请教一位智者。智者告诉他：“为人处世，要懂得趋利避害。选择肥沃的土地耕种，避开贫瘠的土地，才能获得好收成。生活也是一样，要选择有利于自己的方向努力，避开那些有害的事情，才能获得幸福。”农夫听了智者的建议，开始认真观察土地的肥沃程度，选择肥沃的土地耕种，避开那些贫瘠、易遭虫害的土地。他还学习了新的耕作技术，提高了耕作效率。几年后，他的收成越来越好，生活也越来越富裕。他深感智者的教诲是多么的重要，并把这个道理传给了他的子孙后代。从此，他的家族世代安居乐业，生活富足，这都是因为他懂得趋利避害的智慧。

huì shuō gǔdài yǒu yīgè qínláo de nóngfū, tā měitiān xīnkǔ gēngzuò, què zǒngshì shōuchéng bù hǎo。tā hěn kǔnǎo, biàn qù qǐngjiào yī wèi zhìzhě。zhìzhě gàosù tā：“wéirén chǔshì, yào dǒngdé qū lì bì hài。xuǎnzé féiwò de tǔdì gēngzhǒng, bìkāi pínjí de tǔdì, cáinéng huòdé hǎo shōuchéng。shēnghuó yěshì yīyàng, yào xuǎnzé yǒulì yú zìjǐ de fāngxiàng nǔlì, bìkāi nàxiē yǒuhài de shìqing, cáinéng huòdé xìngfú。” nóngfū tīngle zhìzhě de jiànyì, kāishǐ rènzhēn guānchá tǔdì de féiwò chéngdù, xuǎnzé féiwò de tǔdì gēngzhǒng, bìkāi nàxiē pínjí, yì zāo chóng hài de tǔdì。tā hái xuéxíle xīn de gēngzuò jìshù, tígāo le gēngzuò xiàolǜ。jǐ nián hòu, tā de shōuchéng yuè lái yuè hǎo, shēnghuó yě yuè lái yuè fùyù。tā shēngǎn zhìzhě de jiàohuì shì duōme de zhòngyào, bìng bǎ zhège dàolǐ chuán gěile tā de zǐsūn hòudài。cóngcǐ, tā de jiāzú shìdài ānjū lèyè, shēnghuó fùzú, zhè dōu shì yīnwèi tā dǒngdé qū lì bì hài de zhìhuì。

Once upon a time, there was a hardworking farmer in ancient times. He worked hard every day, but his harvest was always poor. He was very distressed and went to ask a wise man for advice. The wise man told him, "In life, you should know how to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages. Choose fertile land to cultivate and avoid barren land in order to get a good harvest. Life is the same. Choose the direction that benefits you and avoid harmful things in order to achieve happiness." The farmer followed the wise man's advice, and began to carefully observe the fertility of the land and chose fertile land to cultivate and avoid poor and pest-prone land. He also learned new farming techniques to improve his efficiency. After a few years, his harvest became better and better, and his life became richer and richer. He deeply felt how important the wise man's teachings were, and he passed this wisdom to his descendants. From then on, his family lived in peace and prosperity, generation after generation, all because he understood the wisdom of seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages.

Usage

常用作谓语、宾语；多用于处世、生活等方面。

cháng yòng zuò wèiyǔ, bǐnyǔ; duō yòng yú chǔshì, shēnghuó děng fāngmiàn。

Often used as predicate and object; often used in terms of dealing with people and life.

Examples

• 为了生存，人们不得不趋利避害。

  wèi le shēngcún, rénmen bùdébù qū lì bì hài.

  To survive, people have to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages.

• 在激烈的市场竞争中，企业必须趋利避害，才能生存发展。

  zài jīliè de shìchǎng jìngzhēng zhōng, qǐyè bìxū qū lì bì hài, cáinéng shēngcún fāzhǎn.

  In the fierce market competition, enterprises must seek advantages and avoid disadvantages in order to survive and develop.

• 学习中也要趋利避害，多学习有用的知识，避免浪费时间精力在无用的东西上。

  xuéxí zhōng yě yào qū lì bì hài, duō xuéxí yǒuyòng de zhīshi, bìmiǎn làngfèi shíjiān jīnglì zài wúyòng de dōngxi shàng。

  Learning also needs to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, learn more useful knowledge, and avoid wasting time and energy on useless things.

Related Idioms

• 趋吉避凶

• 避重就轻

Opposite Idioms

• 损人不利己

• 自讨苦吃