Chinese idiom · 成语
多多益善
Meaning
The more, the better; abundance is preferable.
Character by character
Origin and story
Historical anecdoteShiji (史記), volume 92, records Liu Bang and Han Xin discussing the abilities of military commanders. Asked how many troops the emperor could lead, Han says no more than a hundred thousand. Asked about himself, he replies that the more there are, the better. Liu then asks why such a commander has nevertheless fallen under his control.
Han distinguishes commanding soldiers from commanding generals: the emperor’s ability, he says, lies in the latter. The exchange is both a bold claim and a careful response within an unequal relationship. The idiom keeps the straightforward sense of preferring a greater quantity, without guaranteeing that more is best in every situation.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
整理旧照片时，关于拍摄时间的线索多多益善。
When sorting old photos, the more clues about when they were taken, the better.
Used when additional useful items, help, or information are welcome.