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坐吃山空

zuòchī-shānkōng
idiom #98,815

Meanings

  1. 1 sit around eating and even a mountain empties
  2. 2 to live off savings until they run out
  3. 3 consumption without income

Examples

HSK 2
再不工作就要坐吃山空了。
Zài bù gōngzuò jiùyào zuòchī-shānkōng le.
If I don't start working again, I'll burn through my savings.
HSK 7-9
光靠家里坐吃山空，不是长久之计。
Guāng kào jiālǐ zuòchī-shānkōng, bùshì chángjiǔzhījì.
Just living off your family's money is no long-term plan.

Tips

history
From the Yuan zaju 《东堂老》: 坐吃山空，立吃地陷, sit and eat, and the mountain empties; stand and eat, and the ground caves in.
memory
Vivid image: even a whole mountain of rice runs out if you only eat and never earn.

Stroke Order

坐 zuò
吃 chī
山 shān
空 kōng