只不过无功不受禄
“But we've done nothing.”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
多谢师母关心
“Thank you for your concern.”
只不过 无功不受禄
“But we've done nothing.”
礼物就不用了
“A gift is not needed.”
“I appreciate your kindness, but I really cannot accept this gift because I haven't done anything to deserve it.”
In Chinese etiquette, accepting a gift too eagerly appears greedy. Invoking classical sayings like this allows one to decline gracefully while preserving mutual dignity.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
not accepting rewards without meritorious service
A classic set phrase used when politely declining unearned gifts, bonuses, or favors to show humility and moral integrity.
it is just that; merely
Commonly placed at the beginning of a sentence to introduce a gentle hedge or polite reservation.
VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS
Parallel Spoken Cinema Scenes (语义近邻切片)
“Unearned gifts come with a price.”
“No merit, no reward.”
“nothing comes for free.”
“As the saying goes, one should not accept rewards without merit.”
“I've done nothing to deserve it.”