phàm hí vô ích
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
All play is profitless — the child-sage's verdict to Confucius; and some games cost fortunes.
Literally: all games without benefit
Sources & notes
Discovered via Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897; public domain, via vi.wikisource); retrieved 2026-08-01. Source: source ↗ Attested in Tục ngữ, cổ ngữ, gia ngôn (Huỳnh Tịnh Của, 1897). Definition is an original editorial synthesis, not copied from the source.
Common questions
What does “phàm hí vô ích” mean?
All play is profitless — the child-sage's verdict to Confucius; and some games cost fortunes. Literally: all games without benefit
Is “phàm hí vô ích” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.