受益匪浅
Benefit greatly
Littéralement: Receive (受) benefit (益) not (匪) shallow/little (浅)
Use it to show you've gained meaningful insight or wisdom from a person, book, or experience.
En 15 secondes
- Expresses gaining deep wisdom or significant benefit from an experience.
- Uses a double negative to emphasize the depth of the gain.
- Perfect for thanking mentors or reflecting on impactful books and movies.
Signification
It means you've gained a lot of value, wisdom, or insight from an experience. It's like saying you walked away with a full brain and a happy heart.
Exemples clés
3 sur 6Thanking a mentor after a long talk
听了您的一番话，我受益匪浅。
After hearing what you said, I have benefited greatly.
Reviewing a documentary on social media
这部纪录片让我受益匪浅，推荐给大家！
I learned so much from this documentary, highly recommended!
Texting a friend about a museum visit
今天的画展真是让我受益匪浅。
Today's art exhibition was truly enlightening for me.
Contexte culturel
The phrase uses the character `匪` (fěi) as a negation, which is a hallmark of Classical Chinese. It reflects the traditional Confucian emphasis on self-improvement and the value of gaining wisdom over material wealth. It became a standard idiom (chengyu) used to express gratitude for mentorship and education.
The 'Subject' Secret
You don't always need a 'me' in the sentence. Just saying '受益匪浅' after describing an event implies you were the one who benefited.
Don't use for 'Stuff'
Never use this for material gains. If you got a free phone, say `赚到了` (zhuàn dào le), not `受益匪浅`.
En 15 secondes
- Expresses gaining deep wisdom or significant benefit from an experience.
- Uses a double negative to emphasize the depth of the gain.
- Perfect for thanking mentors or reflecting on impactful books and movies.
What It Means
Think of 受益匪浅 as the ultimate way to say 'I learned a lot.' It describes a deep sense of gain. This isn't just about finding five dollars on the street. It is about intellectual or spiritual growth. The word 匪 is an old-school way to say 'not.' So, you are literally saying your benefits are 'not shallow.' They are deep and meaningful.
How To Use It
You usually place this at the end of a thought. It often follows a specific experience. You might say, 'After reading this book, I 受益匪浅.' It functions like an adjective or a concluding verb phrase. It sounds polished but not stiff. It shows you are someone who reflects on life.
When To Use It
Use it when you want to show genuine appreciation. It is perfect after a deep talk with a mentor. Use it after a workshop that actually wasn't boring. It works great in a thank-you note to a teacher. Even in a professional email, it shows you value someone's input. It makes you sound thoughtful and observant.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use it for trivial things. If you just learned how to open a bag of chips, it’s too much. It is not for physical gains either. If you ate a big steak, don't say you 受益匪浅. That would be very weird. Save it for knowledge, advice, and life lessons. Using it for a discount at a store will get you funny looks.
Cultural Background
This phrase has a scholarly, classical vibe. Chinese culture deeply values lifelong learning and humility. By saying you benefited 'not shallowly,' you are being humble. You are acknowledging that someone else had wisdom to offer. It’s a way of honoring the source of your new knowledge. It’s been a staple of educated speech for centuries.
Common Variations
You might hear 获益匪浅. It means almost the exact same thing. 获 means 'to obtain.' Both are equally classy. If you want to be super casual, you just say 学到了很多. But if you want to impress your boss or Chinese in-laws, stick with 受益匪浅. It shows you have a bit of 'literary soul' in you.
Notes d'usage
This is a high-register expression. While it's not 'king and queen' formal, it's definitely more elegant than everyday slang. Use it to show you've truly reflected on an experience.
The 'Subject' Secret
You don't always need a 'me' in the sentence. Just saying '受益匪浅' after describing an event implies you were the one who benefited.
Don't use for 'Stuff'
Never use this for material gains. If you got a free phone, say `赚到了` (zhuàn dào le), not `受益匪浅`.
The Power of Negation
Using 'not shallow' (匪浅) is a common Chinese rhetorical device to mean 'extremely deep.' It sounds much more sophisticated than just saying 'deep'.
Exemples
6听了您的一番话，我受益匪浅。
After hearing what you said, I have benefited greatly.
A classic way to show respect and gratitude for advice.
这部纪录片让我受益匪浅，推荐给大家！
I learned so much from this documentary, highly recommended!
Shows the phrase works well for media and educational content.
今天的画展真是让我受益匪浅。
Today's art exhibition was truly enlightening for me.
Adds a touch of sophistication to a casual outing report.
您的课程让我受益匪浅，非常感谢。
Your course has benefited me immensely, thank you very much.
The gold standard for academic appreciation.
虽然搞砸了，但这次失败让我受益匪浅。
Even though I messed up, I learned a ton from this failure.
Using a big phrase for a personal mistake adds a bit of dry humor.
这次旅行让我见识了不同的文化，受益匪浅。
This trip exposed me to different cultures; I gained so much.
Conveys emotional and intellectual growth from travel.
Teste-toi
Choose the most appropriate phrase to complete the sentence about a helpful book.
读完这本关于理财的书，我感触很深，真是___。
`受益匪浅` fits because the speaker is describing a positive gain in knowledge from a book.
Which phrase expresses that a conversation was very helpful?
昨晚和张教授的谈话让我___。
Talking to a professor usually implies gaining knowledge, making `受益匪浅` the logical choice.
🎉 Score : /2
Aides visuelles
Formality Scale of 'Learning a Lot'
Used with close friends
学到了很多 (Xué dào le hěn duō)
Standard daily communication
很有收获 (Hěn yǒu shōuhuò)
Professional or respectful context
受益匪浅 (Shòuyì fěiqiǎn)
When to say 受益匪浅
After a Seminar
Professional growth
Reading a Classic
Intellectual gain
Mentor's Advice
Life wisdom
Work Experience
Skill acquisition
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNot at all! While common in academic settings, you can use it for any life experience that gave you insight, like travel or a deep conversation with a friend.
Yes, especially if you're thanking someone for their help. It makes your gratitude feel more sincere and thoughtful.
In this specific idiom, 匪 means 'not' or 'no.' It’s an ancient way of negating a word, making the phrase sound more classical.
Very similar! 获益良多 (huòyì liángduō) also means to gain a lot. 受益匪浅 is slightly more formal and poetic.
Only if you're talking about the lesson you learned from the bad thing. You wouldn't say a car accident was 受益匪浅, but you could say the experience taught you to be careful.
It is perfect for your boss. It shows you are professional and that you value their guidance.
Yes, it is a classic four-character idiom, which is why it carries that extra weight of 'educated' speech.
It's shòu-yì-fěi-qiǎn. Pay attention to the third tone on both fěi and qiǎn—the first one usually shifts slightly to a second tone when spoken quickly.
No, unless that meal somehow taught you a profound life lesson. For food, just say it was delicious!
Probably. Unless you both just watched a very intense documentary and are discussing philosophy. Otherwise, it might sound a bit too serious.
Expressions liées
获益良多
To gain a great deal (similar but slightly less formal).
大开眼界
To have one's eyes opened; a real eye-opener.
胜读十年书
Better than reading ten years of books (used for great advice).
学到了
Learned it / Got it (very casual, internet slang style).
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