<p>A random passage from Mencius is:   </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>殺之而不怨，利之而不庸，民日遷善而不知為之者</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The first two lines have the same structure V1 之而不 V2, wherein V1 is expressing someone doing something to another and V2 how this one reacts to it. 
I think I understand the first line 殺之而不怨: someone kills (some people from a group) and they (the group) don't begrudge it.</p>

<p>As for 利之而不庸 I only understand so far that: someone makes the group benefit from something yet the group 庸, of which I don't know the meaning. The meanings I found in different online dictionaries do not make any sense to me in this context. 庸 is translated as "common, unspecial, mean, low".</p>

<meaning-in-context><literary-chinese>
What is the meaning of 庸 in 利之而不庸?
# What is the meaning of 庸 in 利之而不庸?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-10-18)

A random passage from Mencius is:

> 殺之而不怨，利之而不庸，民日遷善而不知為之者

The first two lines have the same structure V1 之而不 V2, wherein V1 is expressing someone doing something to another and V2 how this one reacts to it.
I think I understand the first line 殺之而不怨: someone kills (some people from a group) and they (the group) don't begrudge it.

As for 利之而不庸 I only understand so far that: someone makes the group benefit from something yet the group 庸, of which I don't know the meaning. The meanings I found in different online dictionaries do not make any sense to me in this context. 庸 is translated as "common, unspecial, mean, low".

**Tags:** meaning-in-context, literary-chinese

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## 0 answers

