諺語 · a single proverb
升米恩，斗米仇
What does 升米恩，斗米仇 (shēng mǐ ēn dǒu mǐ chóu) mean?
升米恩，斗米仇 (shēng mǐ ēn dǒu mǐ chóu) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "a cup of rice is a favor, a bushel of rice is an enemy." In use it means: Small help earns gratitude. Too much help creates resentment or dependence. The line between generosity and enablement is measured in quantity. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Goat.
Literally: "a cup of rice is a favor, a bushel of rice is an enemy."
The reading
You gave once and they thanked you. You gave ten times and they expected it. You gave a hundred times and the day you stopped, they hated you. The first cup of rice made you a benefactor. The hundredth made you an obligation. Generosity that creates dependence is not generosity. It is a trap with two people inside it.
What kind of proverb it is
Source folk proverb 民間諺語; referenced in Zeng Guofan 曾國藩 writings
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Friendship, Trust & Speech, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Goat, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 升米恩，斗米仇 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 升米恩，斗米仇 (shēng mǐ ēn dǒu mǐ chóu) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from folk proverb 民間諺語; referenced in Zeng Guofan 曾國藩 writings. It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 升米恩，斗米仇?
In Mandarin it is shēng mǐ ēn dǒu mǐ chóu. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 升米恩，斗米仇 aloud in Mandarin.