损人利己

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: sǔn rén lì jǐ
• English Translation: To harm others for one's own benefit; to gain advantage at the expense of others
• Idiom Composition: 「损」（To harm, to damage）＋「人」（Others, other people）＋「利」（To gain benefit, profit）＋「己」（Oneself）
• Meaning: To cause harm to others in order to seek one's own benefit. It is used to criticize selfish and unethical behavior.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「损人利己」 contains the following nuances:

• Self-centeredness: Expresses an attitude of pursuing only one's own interests without regard for others' losses.
• Unethical behavior: Implies a moral condemnation of harming others for personal gain.
• Deliberate harm: Refers to intentional acts of harming others to obtain benefits, not just accidental consequences.
• Exclusivity: Suggests actions that exclude or undermine others to secure one's own advantage.

3. Usage

「损人利己」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Criticism and condemnation: Used to criticize selfish and unethical acts that gain benefits at others' expense.
  • Example:「他总是损人利己，不顾同事的感受。」
    （He always harms others for his own benefit without considering his colleagues' feelings.）
• Warning and admonition: Used as a warning or admonition to refrain from such behavior.
  • Example:「在商业竞争中，我们不能采取损人利己的手段。」
    （In business competition, we must not resort to means that harm others for our own benefit.）
• Character description: Used to describe a person who is selfish and disregards others.
  • Example:「他为了自己的利益，不惜损人利己，最终失去了朋友的信任。」
    （He was willing to harm others for his own benefit and ultimately lost his friends' trust.）

Additional Examples:

1. 这种行为是典型的损人利己，我们应该坚决反对。
   （This behavior is a typical example of harming others for one's own benefit, and we should firmly oppose it.）
2. 我们应该追求双赢，而不是损人利己。
   （We should pursue a win-win situation, not harm others for our own benefit.）
3. 他为了升职，竟然损人利己，向上司打小报告。
   （He even harmed others for his own benefit by tattling to his boss to get a promotion.）
4. 这种损人利己的做法，最终只会害人害己。
   （Such selfish and harmful behavior will ultimately hurt both others and oneself.）
5. 在团队合作中，损人利己的行为是绝对不能容忍的。
   （In teamwork, behavior that harms others for personal gain is absolutely intolerable.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Confucian values: In traditional Chinese culture, especially Confucianism, harmony and compassion for others are valued over individual gain. '损人利己' is strongly condemned as it contradicts these values.
• The spirit of 'Ren': 'Ren', a central virtue in Confucianism, means benevolence and kindness towards others. '损人利己' is seen as directly opposing this spirit.
• The principle of 'Zhongyong' (the Doctrine of the Mean): This principle emphasizes balance and avoiding extremes. '损人利己' represents an extreme pursuit of self-interest, violating this principle.
• Strong condemnation: The idiom carries a strong negative connotation and should be used carefully depending on context and relationships.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 自私自利 (zì sī zì lì): Being selfish and self-interested.
  • 损公肥私 (sǔn gōng féi sī): To harm public interests for personal gain.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 利人利己 (lì rén lì jǐ): To benefit others as well as oneself.
  • 舍己为人 (shě jǐ wèi rén): To sacrifice oneself for others.

6. Summary

'损人利己' is an idiom that strongly condemns behavior that harms others for personal gain, reflecting traditional Chinese ethics, especially Confucian values. It emphasizes not only selfishness but also the unethical aspect of intentionally harming others to benefit oneself. In modern society, this spirit is criticized in various contexts such as business and interpersonal relationships. Understanding this idiom helps deepen insight into Chinese ethical views and cultural values.