垂涎三尺

chuíxián-sānchǐ

idiom

Meanings

HSK 3

那辆跑车让他垂涎三尺。

Nà liàng pǎochē ràng tā chuíxián-sānchǐ.

That sports car has him drooling with envy.

HSK 5

看着满桌的美食，他垂涎三尺。

Kàn zhe mǎn zhuō de měishí, tā chuíxián-sānchǐ.

Looking at the table full of food, his mouth was watering.

HSK 7-9

这块地皮令许多开发商垂涎三尺。

Zhè kuài dìpí lìng xǔduō kāifāshāng chuíxián-sānchǐ.

Many developers are drooling over this plot of land.

usage

Literal: about food. Figurative: intense longing for wealth, property, or position. Often carries a critical undertone.

垂 chuí

涎 xián

三 sān

尺 chǐ