<p>I think it depends on what you mean by a &quot;description of this expression&quot;. The deeper you go, the more you'll have to explain it, and it will have to touch on sociological and psychological research, for which <a href="https://psychology.stackexchange.com/">Psychology &amp; Neuroscience StackExchange</a> might be better.</p>
<p>The Chinese expression itself is fairly transparent, with no words that are particularly difficult for native speakers.</p>
<p>In English, finding an equivalent translation is simple. But for the sake of literary expression, something more balanced would be more native-sounding. E.g.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>to detest the rich and despise the poor</p>
<p>to have contempt for both rich and poor</p>
<p>to hate on rich and poor alike</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I have <a href="http://m.iciba.com/%E6%86%8E%E4%BA%BA%E5%AF%8C%E8%B4%B5%E5%8E%8C%E4%BA%BA%E8%B4%AB" rel="nofollow noreferrer">even seen</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>He who hates wealth hates poverty.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>... but I'm not convinced that this is an accurate interpretation.</p>
<p>Explaining that it is a type of 小人心態 &quot;a petty-minded attitude / the mindset of a villain&quot; or 受害者心態 start to touch on what the original expression &quot;means&quot;, and this requires a bit more context on what <em>kind</em> of explanation is needed.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-20T12:29:06.300Z
2021-01-20T12:29:06.300Z
Michaelyus
<p>憎人富貴厭人窮 as a mentality is simple to understand, you know it when you see it. My quest of defining this mindset has been difficult because people do things for different reasons.  One person's reason for 'detests the rich and despise the poor' might be different from another person. That's why I came up with 小人心態 (petty-minded/ small-minded); 自大自卑 (arrogant and with low self-esteem) and 受害者心態 (victim mentality)</p>
<p>To test this theory, I am going to put this expression in contexts</p>
<blockquote>
<ol>
<li>不少中下層階級的人一方面對上流社會極度厭惡，認為他們靠家世，不用努力就能成功，社會實在不公平； 另一方面又對比自己處境更不堪的新移民厭惡萬分，認為他們學歷低下，好吃懶做才會如此貧困. 他們這種憎人富貴厭人窮的態度. 正是小人心態 (petty-minded)的表現</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<p>~</p>
<blockquote>
<ol start="2">
<li>不少中下層階級的人一方面對上流社會懷着極大敵意，認為他們壟斷財富，操控社會，所以自己才沒有出頭機會. 另一方面又對比自己處境更不堪的新移民恨之入骨，認為他們壓低工資搶自已的工作. 他們這種憎人富貴厭人窮的態度. 就是這種受害者心態 (victim mentality)驅使的</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<p>My conclusion is, 憎人富貴厭人窮 is a mentality that can be caused by different mindsets. It is not practical to simplify it into just one</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-21T00:27:59.363Z
2021-01-21T00:27:59.363Z
Tang Ho
<p>You're thinking must have some basis to it because other dictionaries also describe the mentality behind the phrasing.</p>
<p><a href="https://cantonese.org/search.php?q=%E6%86%8E%E4%BA%BA%E5%AF%8C%E8%B2%B4%E5%8E%AD%E4%BA%BA" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CC-Canto</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>憎人富貴厭人窮〔---贵厌-穷〕<br />
zang1 jan4 fu3 gwai3 jim3 jan4 kung4 {zēng rén fù guì yàn rén qióng}<br />
to hate rich people and to loathe poor people, it means one is selfish and lacks integrity</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This is quite striking to me since you usually won't find an analysis of the people who hold these types of views apart from simple mentions to: 封建思想、旧社会认为，etc.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-20T14:49:11.317Z
2021-01-20T14:49:11.317Z
Mou某
<p>The Cantonese expression 憎人富貴厭人貧/窮 (hate the rich, discriminate the poor) illustrated a mentality that is considered unhealthy. I am trying to find a simple description of this attitude</p>
<p>I came up with</p>
<p>小人心態 (petty-minded/ small-minded)</p>
<p>自大自卑 (arrogant and with low self-esteem)</p>
<p>So, the detailed description of 憎人富貴厭人貧/窮 would be 自大自卑的小人心態 (a pretty-minded, arrogant and low self-esteem mindset)</p>
<p>自大自卑的小人心態 sounds very wordy. is there a simpler term for it in Chinese or English?</p>
<p>Notice: 憎人富貴厭人貧/窮 doesn't limit to discriminate the rich and the poor, it also applies to discriminate the successful ones and the failed ones</p>
<p><strong>Edit:</strong></p>
<p>Just think up 受害者心態 (victim mentality) -- everything bad happens to me is other people's fault</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-20T01:51:59.543Z
i think that, it should be “憎人富貴厭人窮”, the last character is “**窮**”, not “貧”
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-20T01:54:22.973Z
@水巷孑蠻 Yes, I use 憎人富貴厭人窮 too, but  [憎人富貴厭人貧](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oIpqrNzY8o&list=PLodoBf9KA5uwrMNJvbRSp4R0LBtgWDgOG&index=97) is also a valid variant
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-20T01:56:53.663Z
well, a regional difference? cantonese in hong kong vs cantonese in canton? 
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-20T01:58:09.890Z
@水巷孑蠻 Yes, 粵講粵過癮 is a 彿山 TV. show
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-20T02:08:08.563Z
further, i guess that the character “窮” is more used in cantonese. there was a song by “大 al”, named “ 鬼叫你窮” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqcJsw6b7T8.    “鬼叫你窮呀頂硬上”  i sang this verse very often, when i was young 
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-20T04:26:58.793Z
憎人富貴厭人貧 is the only one I've ever heard or used myself. Never used 憎人富貴厭人窮, but of course it is readily understood.
monalisa
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-20T07:38:24.010Z
Out of curiosity I tried Google Translate and got "Hate the rich and hate the poor" which is as good as any attempt? Here is what Bill Gates, (the billionaire who hates no one in particular, as far as I know), says, "If you are born poor it's not your mistake. But if you die poor it's your mistake" From that I suppose Mr. Gates does not hate rich or poor people, but people who die poor?
Wayne Cheah
<translation><cantonese><expressions>
Understand 憎人富貴厭人貧(窮)
# Understand 憎人富貴厭人貧(窮)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-01-20)

The Cantonese expression 憎人富貴厭人貧/窮 (hate the rich, discriminate the poor) illustrated a mentality that is considered unhealthy. I am trying to find a simple description of this attitude

I came up with

小人心態 (petty-minded/ small-minded)

自大自卑 (arrogant and with low self-esteem)

So, the detailed description of 憎人富貴厭人貧/窮 would be 自大自卑的小人心態 (a pretty-minded, arrogant and low self-esteem mindset)

自大自卑的小人心態 sounds very wordy. is there a simpler term for it in Chinese or English?

Notice: 憎人富貴厭人貧/窮 doesn't limit to discriminate the rich and the poor, it also applies to discriminate the successful ones and the failed ones

**Edit:**

Just think up 受害者心態 (victim mentality) -- everything bad happens to me is other people's fault

**Tags:** translation, cantonese, expressions

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: i think that, it should be “憎人富貴厭人窮”, the last character is “**窮**”, not “貧”  
> **username_0**: @username_1 Yes, I use 憎人富貴厭人窮 too, but  [憎人富貴厭人貧](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oIpqrNzY8o&list=PLodoBf9KA5uwrMNJvbRSp4R0LBtgWDgOG&index=97) is also a valid variant  
> **username_1**: well, a regional difference? cantonese in hong kong vs cantonese in canton?   
> **username_0**: @username_1 Yes, 粵講粵過癮 is a 彿山 TV. show  
> **username_1**: further, i guess that the character “窮” is more used in cantonese. there was a song by “大 al”, named “ 鬼叫你窮” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqcJsw6b7T8.    “鬼叫你窮呀頂硬上”  i sang this verse very often, when i was young   
> **username_2**: 憎人富貴厭人貧 is the only one I've ever heard or used myself. Never used 憎人富貴厭人窮, but of course it is readily understood.  
> **username_3**: Out of curiosity I tried Google Translate and got "Hate the rich and hate the poor" which is as good as any attempt? Here is what Bill Gates, (the billionaire who hates no one in particular, as far as I know), says, "If you are born poor it's not your mistake. But if you die poor it's your mistake" From that I suppose Mr. Gates does not hate rich or poor people, but people who die poor?  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2021-01-20. Score: 2

I think it depends on what you mean by a "description of this expression". The deeper you go, the more you'll have to explain it, and it will have to touch on sociological and psychological research, for which [Psychology & Neuroscience StackExchange](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/) might be better.

The Chinese expression itself is fairly transparent, with no words that are particularly difficult for native speakers.

In English, finding an equivalent translation is simple. But for the sake of literary expression, something more balanced would be more native-sounding. E.g.

> to detest the rich and despise the poor
>
> to have contempt for both rich and poor
>
> to hate on rich and poor alike

I have [even seen](http://m.iciba.com/%E6%86%8E%E4%BA%BA%E5%AF%8C%E8%B4%B5%E5%8E%8C%E4%BA%BA%E8%B4%AB):

> He who hates wealth hates poverty.

... but I'm not convinced that this is an accurate interpretation.

Explaining that it is a type of 小人心態 "a petty-minded attitude / the mindset of a villain" or 受害者心態 start to touch on what the original expression "means", and this requires a bit more context on what *kind* of explanation is needed.


---

### Answer by username_0 on 2021-01-21. Score: 0

憎人富貴厭人窮 as a mentality is simple to understand, you know it when you see it. My quest of defining this mindset has been difficult because people do things for different reasons. One person's reason for 'detests the rich and despise the poor' might be different from another person. That's why I came up with 小人心態 (petty-minded/ small-minded); 自大自卑 (arrogant and with low self-esteem) and 受害者心態 (victim mentality)

To test this theory, I am going to put this expression in contexts

> 1. 不少中下層階級的人一方面對上流社會極度厭惡，認為他們靠家世，不用努力就能成功，社會實在不公平； 另一方面又對比自己處境更不堪的新移民厭惡萬分，認為他們學歷低下，好吃懶做才會如此貧困. 他們這種憎人富貴厭人窮的態度. 正是小人心態 (petty-minded)的表現

~

> 2. 不少中下層階級的人一方面對上流社會懷着極大敵意，認為他們壟斷財富，操控社會，所以自己才沒有出頭機會. 另一方面又對比自己處境更不堪的新移民恨之入骨，認為他們壓低工資搶自已的工作. 他們這種憎人富貴厭人窮的態度. 就是這種受害者心態 (victim mentality)驅使的

My conclusion is, 憎人富貴厭人窮 is a mentality that can be caused by different mindsets. It is not practical to simplify it into just one


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2021-01-20. Score: 0

You're thinking must have some basis to it because other dictionaries also describe the mentality behind the phrasing.

[CC-Canto](https://cantonese.org/search.php?q=%E6%86%8E%E4%BA%BA%E5%AF%8C%E8%B2%B4%E5%8E%AD%E4%BA%BA)

> 憎人富貴厭人窮〔---贵厌-穷〕  
> zang1 jan4 fu3 gwai3 jim3 jan4 kung4 {zēng rén fù guì yàn rén qióng}  
> to hate rich people and to loathe poor people, it means one is selfish and lacks integrity

This is quite striking to me since you usually won't find an analysis of the people who hold these types of views apart from simple mentions to: 封建思想、旧社会认为，etc.


---

