p8nda
p8nda BETA
Home Dictionary Translate Flashcards Sign in

坐吃山空

zuòchīshānkōng
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

再不工作就要坐吃山空了。
Zài bù gōngzuò jiù yào zuòchī shānkōng le.
If I don't start working again, I'll burn through my savings.
光靠家里坐吃山空，不是长久之计。
Guāng kào jiālǐ zuòchī shānkōng, bù shì chángjiǔ zhī jì.
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