恩将仇报 (ēn jiāng chóu bào) — to requite kindness with enmity; to bite the hand that feeds you

Definition

A formal chengyu meaning to repay someone's kindness with hatred — sharper and more literary than the everyday 忘恩负义. Pairs with 忘恩负义 in examples as a near-synonym for an ungrateful person.

idiom
to requite kindness with enmityto bite the hand that feeds you

Examples

  • 恩将仇报，。
    Tā jū rán duì bāng zhù guò tā de rén ēn jiāng chóu bào, zhēn shì tài ràng rén xīn hán le.
    He actually requited kindness with enmity toward the people who helped him — it's truly heartbreaking.
  • 恩将仇报，。
    Zuò rén bù néng ēn jiāng chóu bào, fǒu zé zǒng yǒu yì tiān huì shī qù suǒ yǒu péng you.
    A person must not bite the hand that feeds them; otherwise they will lose all friends one day.
  • 恩将仇报。
    Zhè ge gù shi jiǎng shù le yí gè ēn jiāng chóu bào de wàng ēn fù yì zhī rén.
    This story tells of an ungrateful person who requited kindness with enmity.

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
因
因yīn恩ēn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

恩 puts 因, which gives the sound, beside 心, a heart.

Open 恩 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 將; 将 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat
寸寸cùnhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
爿
爿pán將jiāng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 將 combines 爿, which also supplies a sound and may show a small table, with ⺼ (meat) and 寸 (hand) to picture offering meat as tribute. The simplified 将 is a later shorthand.

Open 将 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
九
九jiǔ仇⁰qiú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

仇 has 亻, a person, and 九, which gives the sound.

Open 仇 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 報; 报 is its simplified writing.

  • 㚔㚔㚔handcuffs
  • 𠬝𠬝𠬝to subdue

The traditional form 報 puts 㚔 (handcuffs) beside 𠬝 (to subdue), showing someone restrained and subdued, as in convicting or punishing a guilty person. The simplified 报 is a later shorthand.

Open 报 →

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