# 好逸恶劳

hào yì wù láo

Prefer ease and avoid work

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Love comfort and dislike labor

**Traditional Chinese:** 好逸惡勞

**Register:** Critical · expressive

[Effort & growth](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/effort)

## When to use it

Criticize habitual avoidance of necessary effort.

Rest and disability should not be mistaken for laziness.

## Understanding the expression

Comfort is preferred while the effort needed to sustain responsibilities is rejected. The expression describes a habitual attitude, not one tired afternoon. It often criticizes someone who expects benefits while leaving work to others. The judgment should consider actual capacity and circumstances: illness, exhaustion, or unequal demands can limit participation without showing laziness. A concrete pattern of avoidable shirking is more useful than assuming that anyone who needs rest dislikes work.

## Examples

他好逸恶劳，总让别人收拾。

### Traditional Chinese

他好逸惡勞，總讓別人收拾。

tā hào yì wù láo ， zǒng ràng bié rén shōu shí 。

He avoids work and always leaves the cleanup to others.

别把休假等同于好逸恶劳。

### Traditional Chinese

別把休假等同於好逸惡勞。

bié bǎ xiū jià děng tóng yú hào yì wù láo 。

Do not equate taking leave with laziness.

她克服好逸恶劳的习惯，开始自律。

### Traditional Chinese

她克服好逸惡勞的習慣，開始自律。

tā kè fú hào yì wù láo de xí guàn ， kāi shǐ zì lǜ 。

She overcame her habit of avoiding effort and became disciplined.

好逸恶劳让他的计划始终停在纸上。

### Traditional Chinese

好逸惡勞讓他的計劃始終停在紙上。

hào yì wù láo ràng tā de jì huà shǐ zhōng tíng zài zhǐ shàng 。

His preference for ease kept the plan from becoming action.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E5%A5%BD%E9%80%B8%E6%83%A1%E5%8B%9E)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=920&webMd=1&la=0)

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