"Returning kindness with enmity" refers to repaying a favor with hatred, that is, being ungrateful and returning evil for good. Its deeper meaning lies in condemning those who betray morality and obliterate their conscience, emphasizing the gratitude and reciprocity that should exist between people. It is mostly used in scenarios of criticizing or reprimanding someone for showing hostility or causing harm to a benefactor, and is commonly seen in moral evaluations, interpersonal disputes, and literary criticism. In terms of cultural background, Confucian ethics values the idea that "a drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring," and this idiom serves as a negative warning against this traditional value. Its emotional tone is strongly derogatory, carrying anger, disappointment, and moral condemnation. This idiom originates from the Records of the Three Kingdoms and is often used in history and literature to portray negative characters.
📝 Example
1. When he was down and out, Lao Wang supported him through thick and thin. Now, for the sake of profit, he has taken Lao Wang to court—truly returning kindness with enmity. (Referring to repaying a benefactor with hatred, being ungrateful.)
2. The villain in the novel returns kindness with enmity, killing the benefactor who saved his life, and in the end is deserted by all. (Referring to repaying virtue with vice, betraying a debt of gratitude.)