Chinese idiom · 成语
忠言逆耳
Meaning
Loyal words grate the ear; harsh but true advice.
Character by character
Origin and story
Historical account and proverbThe Han Feizi compares useful advice to bitter medicine: sensible people accept an unpleasant taste because the medicine can help, and a capable ruler accepts uncomfortable counsel because it can produce good results. Its wording is an early parallel to the familiar proverb.
The Records of the Grand Historian gives a concrete episode in Zhang Liang's biography. After entering the Qin palace, Liu Bang wanted to stay amid its luxuries. Fan Kuai urged him to leave, but he resisted. Zhang Liang reinforced the warning with the saying about loyal advice offending the ear and medicine tasting bitter. Liu Bang then returned to his army at Bashang. The point is to judge counsel by its value, not merely by how pleasant it sounds.
Sources and further reading
In everyday life
朋友说我的演讲太长，我起初不高兴，后来才明白忠言逆耳。
When a friend said my speech was too long, I was annoyed at first; later I realized that helpful advice can be hard to hear.
Sincere, useful advice may be unwelcome; the idiom does not make every harsh remark good advice.