Chinese idiom · 成语
开卷有益
Meaning
Opening a book is beneficial; reading always brings value.
Character by character
Origin and story
historicalWang Pizhi's Mianshui Yantan Lu (渑水燕谈录) records Emperor Taizong of Song reading three sections of the Taiping Yulan (太平御览) each day. When other business interrupted his reading, he made up the missed portions during free time. He explained that opening a book brought benefit and that he did not regard it as a burden. This account contains the exact wording 开卷有益.
An earlier related expression, 开卷有得, appears in Tao Qian's words preserved in the Book of Song: when reading brought an insight, he could become so happy that he forgot to eat. The two passages connect reading with discovery, while the familiar saying encourages people to seek that benefit themselves.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
本来只想随便翻翻，却学到了新的摄影技巧，真是开卷有益。
I only meant to browse, but I learned a new photography technique—reading really does bring benefits.
Encourages reading or acknowledges something gained from it; 卷 is juàn, a book or volume.