画饼充饥

畫餅充飢

huàbǐng-chōngjī

idiom #76,043

Meanings

1 drawing a cake to satisfy hunger
2 feeding oneself on illusions

Characters

cake / flatbread

to satisfy / fill

Examples

光靠空想赚钱，不过是画饼充饥。

Guāng kào kōngxiǎng zhuànqián, búguò shì huàbǐng-chōngjī.

Relying on daydreams to make money is just drawing a cake to cure hunger.

他许下的承诺都是画饼充饥。

Tā xǔxià de chéngnuò dōu shì huàbǐng-chōngjī.

His promises are all empty consolations.

Tips

history

From 《三国志·魏志·卢毓传》: Emperor Wen of Wei told his minister Lu Yu that 'fame is like a cake drawn on the ground - you cannot eat it.' Recruit people by real ability, not reputation. Often paired with 望梅止渴 as two ways of consoling oneself with what does not exist.

Stroke Order

画 huà

饼 bǐng

充 chōng

饥 jī