CHENGYU
不劳而获(bù láo ér huò)meaning, story and origin
- Register:
- neutral, negative
- Source:
- 《孔子家语·入官》
MEANING
- Literal
- to gain without toiling
- Figurative meaning
- to reap without sowing; to get something for nothing
ORIGIN STORY
From the sayings of Confucius' school: "Ask for what is near at hand, and you will gain it without toil." What began as counsel about modest goals became the standard rebuke of gains without effort.
NATURAL EQUIVALENT
“to get something for nothing”
EXAMPLES
天上不会掉馅饼，没有不劳而获的好事。Tiānshàng bú huì diào xiànbǐng, méiyǒu bù láo ér huò de hǎoshì.HSK6
Pies do not fall from the sky — nothing good comes without toil.
他想不劳而获，结果什么也没得到。Tā xiǎng bù láo ér huò, jiéguǒ shénme yě méi dédào.HSK6
He wanted gain without toil and ended up with nothing.
COMMON MISTAKE
Watch out: It is always about getting benefits without work — with a critical edge.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
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TRUST & SOURCES
- Reviewed by
- AI-assisted editorial review
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-15
- CC-CEDICT 2026-01-01