qū lì bì hài: 趋利避害 - To pursue benefits and avoid harm

• Keywords: qulibihai, 趋利避害, seek profit avoid harm, Chinese pragmatism, cost-benefit analysis in Chinese, Chinese idiom for self-interest, survival instinct, risk management, rational choice in Chinese culture.
• Summary: The Chinese idiom 趋利避害 (qū lì bì hài) describes the fundamental human instinct to pursue benefits and avoid harm. More than just a phrase, it reflects a core value of Chinese pragmatism, guiding rational decisions in everything from business strategy to personal life choices. Understanding qulibihai is essential for grasping the practical, survival-oriented mindset that often informs actions and social dynamics in modern China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): qū lì bì hài
• Part of Speech: Chengyu (Idiom); can function as a verb or adjective.
• HSK Level: N/A (Advanced/Chengyu)
• Concise Definition: To seek what is profitable and avoid what is harmful.
• In a Nutshell: `趋利避害` is the Chinese expression for the universal concept of cost-benefit analysis applied to life. It's the idea that it is natural, rational, and often wise to make choices that lead to positive outcomes while steering clear of danger or loss. While it can sometimes carry a negative connotation of selfishness, it is more often viewed as a neutral descriptor of pragmatic and intelligent behavior.

• 趋 (qū): To chase, pursue, or run towards. Imagine a trend (趋势 qūshì) moving in a certain direction.
• 利 (lì): Benefit, profit, or advantage. The character depicts a knife cutting grain, symbolizing a harvest or gain.
• 避 (bì): To avoid, shun, or escape from.
• 害 (hài): Harm, danger, or disadvantage.

These four characters combine literally and powerfully to mean “chase benefit, avoid harm.” The structure is parallel and direct, making it a memorable and potent idiom.

• `趋利避害` is a cornerstone of Chinese pragmatism (实用主义, shíyòng zhǔyì). In a culture with a long history marked by instability, famine, and political upheaval, developing a keen sense of how to secure advantages and, more importantly, avoid disaster was a critical survival skill. This idiom acknowledges this reality not as a moral failing, but as a fundamental human and animal instinct.
• Comparison to Western Concepts: In the West, a similar concept is “risk/reward” or “cost-benefit analysis.” However, these terms are typically confined to business, finance, or academic contexts. `趋利避害` is much broader, functioning as a philosophy for everyday life. Furthermore, Western cultures sometimes glorify “taking a stand on principle” even at great personal cost. From a strict `趋利避害` perspective, such an action might be viewed as noble but impractical or even foolish if it leads to certain “harm” (害). The Chinese perspective often places a higher value on cleverness, adaptability, and ensuring the well-being of oneself and one's family.

• `趋利避害` is an extremely common concept in modern discourse, appearing in news analysis, business meetings, and daily conversation.
• In Business and Economics: It's used neutrally to describe a company's strategy or consumer behavior. For example, a company moving its manufacturing to a country with lower labor costs is a clear act of `趋利避害`.
• In Personal Decisions: People use it to explain major life choices, such as choosing a stable government job over a risky startup, or moving to a bigger city for better opportunities.
• In Social Commentary: The term can take on a slightly negative connotation. If someone abandons their friends or principles for personal gain, they might be criticized for their excessive `趋利避害` behavior. It implies they are opportunistic and lack loyalty.
• Overall Connotation:
  • Neutral (Most Common): Describing a rational, instinctual, or understandable decision.
  • Slightly Negative: Implying someone is overly self-interested, cowardly, or opportunistic.

• Example 1:
  • 趋利避害是所有生物的本能。
  • Pinyin: Qū lì bì hài shì suǒyǒu shēngwù de běnnéng.
  • English: Seeking advantages and avoiding harm is the instinct of all living creatures.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the term in its most neutral and fundamental sense, presenting it as a basic biological drive.
• Example 2:
  • 在商场上，每个公司都必须学会趋利避害，才能生存下去。
  • Pinyin: Zài shāngchǎng shàng, měi gè gōngsī dōu bìxū xuéhuì qū lì bì hài, cáinéng shēngcún xiàqù.
  • English: In the business world, every company must learn to pursue profits and avoid risks in order to survive.
  • Analysis: Here, `趋利避害` is a positive and necessary business skill, equivalent to “strategic risk management.”
• Example 3:
  • 他选择去国外发展，也是一种趋利避害的决定。
  • Pinyin: Tā xuǎnzé qù guówài fāzhǎn, yěshì yī zhǒng qū lì bì hài de juédìng.
  • English: His choice to go abroad for career development was also a decision to seek benefits and avoid disadvantages.
  • Analysis: This is a neutral description of a practical life choice. The “harm” being avoided could be a lack of opportunity or a stagnant career at home.
• Example 4:
  • 投资时，我们应该理性分析，做到趋利避害。
  • Pinyin: Tóuzī shí, wǒmen yīnggāi lǐxìng fēnxī, zuòdào qū lì bì hài.
  • English: When investing, we should analyze rationally to ensure we pursue gains and avoid losses.
  • Analysis: The term is used here as a goal or a guiding principle for making smart financial decisions.
• Example 5:
  • 你不能只想着趋利避害，有时候也要考虑一下集体和他人的感受。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bùnéng zhǐ xiǎngzhe qū lì bì hài, yǒushíhòu yě yào kǎolǜ yīxià jítǐ hé tārén de gǎnshòu.
  • English: You can't only think about your own advantages; sometimes you also have to consider the group and the feelings of others.
  • Analysis: This example shows the term's negative connotation. It's a criticism, implying the person is being selfish.
• Example 6:
  • 面对危险，动物趋利避害的本能会立刻显现出来。
  • Pinyin: Miànduì wéixiǎn, dòngwù qū lì bì hài de běnnéng huì lìkè xiǎnxiàn chūlái.
  • English: When faced with danger, an animal's instinct to seek safety and avoid harm will immediately reveal itself.
  • Analysis: Similar to the first example, this grounds the concept in natural, instinctual behavior, removing any moral judgment.
• Example 7:
  • 这个政策的出台，旨在引导资本趋利避害，流入更具发展潜力的行业。
  • Pinyin: Zhège zhèngcè de chūtái, zhǐ zài yǐndǎo zīběn qū lì bì hài, liúrù gèng jù fāzhǎn qiánlì de hángyè.
  • English: The introduction of this policy aims to guide capital to pursue advantages and avoid risks, flowing into industries with greater development potential.
  • Analysis: A formal, economic context. Here, `趋利避害` describes the desired rational behavior of market capital.
• Example 8:
  • 在复杂的职场关系中，他总是能巧妙地趋利避害，保护自己不受伤害。
  • Pinyin: Zài fùzá de zhíchǎng guānxì zhōng, tā zǒng shì néng qiǎomiào de qū lì bì hài, bǎohù zìjǐ bù shòu shānghài.
  • English: In the complex relationships of the workplace, he is always able to cleverly pursue advantages and avoid harm, protecting himself from getting hurt.
  • Analysis: This usage is ambiguous. It could be seen as praise for his social intelligence, or a subtle critique of him being a bit too calculating and self-serving.
• Example 9:
  • 虽然留下来很危险，但他没有选择趋利避害，而是决定和大家共渡难关。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán liú xiàlái hěn wéixiǎn, dàn tā méiyǒu xuǎnzé qū lì bì hài, érshì juédìng hé dàjiā gòngdù nánguān.
  • English: Although it was dangerous to stay, he didn't choose to seek safety and avoid harm, but rather decided to overcome the difficulties together with everyone.
  • Analysis: Here, choosing *not* to `趋利避害` is presented as a noble, brave, and selfless act. This highlights the term's role as a baseline against which more altruistic behavior is measured.
• Example 10:
  • 人性的复杂就在于，我们既有趋利避害的冲动，也有为理想献身的精神。
  • Pinyin: Rénxìng de fùzá jiù zàiyú, wǒmen jì yǒu qū lì bì hài de chōngdòng, yě yǒu wèi lǐxiǎng xiànshēn de jīngshén.
  • English: The complexity of human nature lies in the fact that we have both the impulse to seek benefit and avoid harm, as well as the spirit to sacrifice for our ideals.
  • Analysis: This philosophical sentence perfectly encapsulates the dual nature of the term, positioning it as a fundamental impulse that coexists with higher, more idealistic motivations.

• Not Always Selfish: The most common mistake for learners is to equate `趋利避害` directly with “selfish” or “opportunistic.” While it can mean that, its default meaning is closer to “pragmatic” or “rational.” Judging a person's choice to move for a better job as a wise act of `趋利避害` is very different from criticizing them for being selfish. Context is everything.
• False Friend: “Opportunistic”: In English, “opportunistic” has a strong negative connotation, implying someone unscrupulously exploits situations for their own gain. `趋利避害` is far more neutral. For example, wearing a coat when it's cold is a simple act of `趋利避害` (seeking the benefit of warmth, avoiding the harm of cold), but no one would call it “opportunistic.” The Chinese term describes the underlying logic, not necessarily the moral character of the action.
• Incorrect Usage: Do not use this weighty four-character idiom for trivial choices. Saying you chose the apple over the orange because of `趋利避害` would sound strange and overly dramatic. The term is reserved for situations involving more significant benefits, risks, or strategic decisions. For a simple choice, you would just say “because I like apples more” (因为我更喜欢苹果).

• 权衡利弊 (quán héng lì bì) - To weigh the pros and cons. This is the process you undergo when you are trying to `趋利避害`.
• 明哲保身 (míng zhé bǎo shēn) - A wise person protects themselves (by staying out of trouble). This focuses heavily on the `避害` (avoiding harm) aspect.
• 自私自利 (zì sī zì lì) - Selfish; only concerned with one's own benefit. This is the extreme negative version of `趋利避害`.
• 见利忘义 (jiàn lì wàng yì) - To see profit and forget righteousness. This is a strong moral condemnation of someone who takes the `趋利` (pursuing benefit) part too far, abandoning their principles.
• 投机取巧 (tóu jī qǔ qiǎo) - To be opportunistic and use clever tricks to get by. A very negative term related to the selfish pursuit of gain.
• 实用主义 (shí yòng zhǔ yì) - Pragmatism. The broader philosophical framework that values what is practical and effective, which `趋利避害` is a core tenet of.
• 因小失大 (yīn xiǎo shī dà) - To lose something big for a small gain. This describes a failed attempt at `趋利避害`, where the calculation of “benefit” and “harm” was incorrect.