📖 Meaning
This idiom means that honest and forthright words, though grating to the ear, are ultimately beneficial to one's conduct. It emphasizes the value of accepting unpleasant but sincere advice.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom is a condensed form of the well-known saying '忠言逆耳利于行' (honest words grate the ear but benefit conduct). The longer phrase appears in the 'School Sayings of Confucius' (孔子家语·六本) and was famously cited by the strategist Zhang Liang (张良) when advising Liu Bang (刘邦), the founding emperor of the Han Dynasty, to accept criticism from his ministers. Over time, the phrase was shortened to the four-character idiom '逆耳利行'.
💡 Example Usage
长辈的批评虽然逆耳利行，我们应当虚心接受。
The elders' criticism, though unpleasant to hear, benefits our conduct, so we should accept it with an open mind.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 逆耳利行
- Pinyin: nì ěr lì xíng
- Literal Translation: against, ear, benefit, conduct
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4