hơn chẳng bõ hao
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
The winnings don't cover the wear — victory at a net loss.
Literally: gain not worth the depletion
Examples
Cãi thắng mà mất bạn, hơn chẳng bõ hao.Won the argument, lost the friend — gains under costs.
Editorial example (VI sweep batch 040, illustrative)
Sources & notes
Discovered via Nam ngạn chích cẩm (Phạm Quang Sán, 1918; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Nam ngạn chích cẩm (Phạm Quang Sán, 1918). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.
Common questions
What does “hơn chẳng bõ hao” mean?
The winnings don't cover the wear — victory at a net loss. Literally: gain not worth the depletion
Is “hơn chẳng bõ hao” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.