Tiếng Việt · Proverb Attested

lợi bất cập hại

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In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

The gain never covers the damage — profit posted, loss footnoted larger.

Literally: benefit not reaching the harm

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 “lợi bất cập hại” mean?

The gain never covers the damage — profit posted, loss footnoted larger. Literally: benefit not reaching the harm

Is “lợi bất cập hại” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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