# 忘恩负义

wàng ēn fù yì

Betray someone who has helped you

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Forget kindness and betray obligation

**Traditional Chinese:** 忘恩負義

**Register:** Critical · general

[People & connection](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/relationships)

## When to use it

Criticize ingratitude expressed through harmful conduct.

Receiving help does not require unlimited obedience.

## Understanding the expression

The expression joins forgetting a kindness with abandoning a moral obligation. It usually describes more than failing to say thanks: the beneficiary turns against a helper or refuses reasonable consideration after substantial support. The relationship between the earlier help and later conduct makes the criticism meaningful. However, gratitude has boundaries. A benefactor cannot fairly use past kindness to demand harmful, unlawful, or endless service from the person helped.

## Examples

他受了帮助却诬陷恩人，真是忘恩负义。

### Traditional Chinese

他受了幫助卻誣陷恩人，真是忘恩負義。

tā shòu le bāng zhù què wū xiàn ēn rén ， zhēn shì wàng ēn fù yì 。

He accepted help and then slandered his helper.

她不愿成为忘恩负义的人，主动偿还借款。

### Traditional Chinese

她不願成為忘恩負義的人，主動償還借款。

tā bú yuàn chéng wéi wàng ēn fù yì de rén ， zhǔ dòng cháng huán jiè kuǎn 。

She repaid the loan rather than show ingratitude.

小说中他忘恩负义，出卖了救命恩人。

### Traditional Chinese

小說中他忘恩負義，出賣了救命恩人。

xiǎo shuō zhōng tā wàng ēn fù yì ， chū mài le jiù mìng ēn rén 。

In the novel, he betrays the person who saved him.

拒绝不合理要求不等于忘恩负义。

### Traditional Chinese

拒絕不合理要求不等於忘恩負義。

jù jué bù hé lǐ yāo qiú bù děng yú wàng ēn fù yì 。

Refusing an unreasonable demand is not ingratitude.

## 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%BF%98%E6%81%A9%E8%B2%A0%E7%BE%A9)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=430&webMd=1&la=0)

## Keep exploring

- [忘年之交 wàng nián zhī jiāo A friendship across a substantial age difference ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/wang-nian-zhi-jiao)

- [望眼欲穿 wàng yǎn yù chuān Wait with intense longing ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/wang-yan-yu-chuan)

- [妄自尊大 wàng zì zūn dà Overestimate one's importance ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/wang-zi-zun-da)

- [委曲求全 wěi qū qiú quán Make concessions to preserve a larger relationship or outcome ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/wei-qu-qiu-quan)

## Keep this one close.

Save useful idioms, read offline, and revisit them with flashcards in Almanac.

[View on the App Store ](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6819590452)

[Previous idiom 望尘莫及 ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/wang-chen-mo-ji) [Next idiom 望梅止渴 ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/wang-mei-zhi-ke)