proverb · Legacy record
A little help is worth more than a lot of sympathy.
A little help is worth more than a lot of sympathy.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
A small amount of help valued above much sympathy contrasts practical assistance with expression alone. The saying asks what actually meets a need.
What the words are saying
The comparison is not a universal ranking: listening and emotional support can be useful help too. A responsible application asks what the person wants, what is feasible and whether an intervention is welcome. Assistance should not be imposed merely to appear effective.
Everyday example
Someone asks whether a practical task or a listening conversation would help before offering support.
When to use it
Use it to discuss useful assistance with the recipient’s needs and consent central.
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What it does not mean
No universal worthlessness of sympathy or right to impose help is established.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
China
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin.- Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided wisdom reference (2014 AD)
Supplied reference B; unit 235; PDF page 29; collection label: China
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- China