a pleasure which would cost one nothing

a pleasure which would cost one nothing

Chinese idiom, Pinyin is Hu ì é RB ù f è I, which means to give people benefits but not losses. From the Analects of Confucius.

Notes on Idioms

Benefit: give people benefits; cost: consume.

The origin of Idioms

In the Analects of Confucius, Yao Yue said, "because of the benefit of the people, isn't it beneficial but not costly?"

Idiom usage

It refers to giving people benefits but not losing. Who knows that Master Zhuang is willing to pay for this sum of money. He only asks for a few recommendations on behalf of his children, which is more beneficial than costly. (Chapter 15 of Li Baojia's officialdom in the Qing Dynasty)