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无事献殷勤，非奸即盗

wú shì xiàn yīn qín , fēi jiān jí dàodictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
one who is unaccountably solicitous is hiding evil intentions (idiom)
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-1c1bf6b85797440a. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

無事獻殷勤，非姦即盜 无事献殷勤，非奸即盗 [wu2 shi4 xian4 yin1 qin2 , fei1 jian1 ji2 dao4] /one who is unaccountably solicitous is hiding evil intentions (idiom)/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

Other forms in these source records: 無事獻殷勤，非姦即盜

  • 无
    mó

    used in 南無|南无[nā mó]

    wú

    not to have / no / none / not / to lack / un- / -less

  • 事
    shì

    matter / thing / item / work / affair / CL:件[jiàn],樁|桩[zhuāng],回[huí]

  • 献
    xiàn

    to offer / to present / to dedicate / to donate / to show / to put on display / worthy person (old)

  • 殷
    yān

    dark red

    yīn

    flourishing / abundant / earnest / hospitable

    yǐn

    roll of thunder

    Yīn

    surname Yin / dynasty name at the end the Shang dynasty, after its move to Yinxu 殷墟[Yīn xū] in present-day Henan

  • 勤
    qín

    diligent / industrious / hardworking / frequent / regular / constant / (bound form) work / duty / attendance / (literary) diligent / industrious / hardworking (variant of 勤[qín]) / (literary) solicitous / attentive

  • 非
    fēi

    to not be / not / wrong / incorrect / non- / un- / in- / de- / to reproach / to blame / (coll.) to insist on / simply must

    Fēi

    abbr. for 非洲[Fēi zhōu], Africa

  • 奸
    jiān

    wicked / crafty / traitor / to fornicate / to defile / adultery / rape

  • 即
    jí

    namely / that is / i.e. / prompt / at once / at present / even if / prompted (by the occasion) / to approach / to come into contact / to assume (office) / to draw near

  • 盗
    dào

    to steal / to rob / to plunder / thief / bandit / robber

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.