quân tử cố cùng, tiểu nhơn cùng tư lạm hỉ
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
The gentleman holds firm in poverty; the small man in poverty helps himself — want is character's examination hall.
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 “quân tử cố cùng, tiểu nhơn cùng tư lạm hỉ” mean?
The gentleman holds firm in poverty; the small man in poverty helps himself — want is character's examination hall. Literally: gentleman steadfast in want; petty man in want turns excess
Is “quân tử cố cùng, tiểu nhơn cùng tư lạm hỉ” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.