📖 Meaning
This proverb means that one who upholds righteousness and justice does not casually accumulate wealth. It expresses the traditional belief that moral integrity and the pursuit of profit are often incompatible. The fuller form adds '慈不主兵' (the compassionate do not command armies), underscoring that certain virtues run counter to certain worldly ends.
📜 Origin Story
This is a Chinese folk proverb with no single identifiable literary source or named originator. It is most often cited in the fuller form '义不生财，慈不主兵' — the righteous do not amass wealth, and the compassionate do not lead armies. The saying reflects accumulated folk wisdom recognized across many dynasties rather than tracing to one specific historical figure or text. It articulates a long-standing tension in Chinese thought between moral virtue and pragmatic, profit-driven pursuits.
💡 Example Usage
他做生意从不短斤少两，义不生财，所以一直赚不了大钱。
He never shortchanges customers in business; as the saying goes, the righteous do not amass wealth, so he has never been able to make a fortune.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 义不生财
- Pinyin: yì bù shēng cái
- Literal Translation: righteousness, not, generate, wealth
- Category: Morality
- Characters: 4