皇粮 (huángliáng): lit. imperial grain (army ratio…

Meanings

1 lit. imperial grain (army rations supplied by the emperor)
2 (fig.) state-funded salary or supplies
3 the iron rice bowl of government employment

Characters

皇

Examples

他在政府部门工作，吃着皇粮。

Tā zài zhèngfǔ bùmén gōngzuò, chīzhe huángliáng.

He works in a government department, drawing a state salary.

古代的官兵都是靠皇粮过日子。

Gǔdài de guānbīng dōu shì kào huángliáng guò rìzi.

In ancient times officials and soldiers all lived on imperial rations.

Tips

culture

Originally meant army rations issued by the imperial court. Today the fixed phrase 吃皇粮 (chi huangliang, 'to eat imperial grain') is colloquial for being on the government payroll - civil servants, state-owned enterprise staff, public school teachers. Carries a hint of envy or sarcasm depending on context.