酒囊饭袋

酒囊飯袋
jiǔnáng-fàndài
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 wine sack and rice bag
  2. 2 useless person fit only for eating and drinking
  3. 3 good-for-nothing

Examples

HSK 3
Gōngsī bù xūyào jiǔnáng-fàndài.
The company has no use for good-for-nothings.
HSK 7-9
他不学无术,简直就是个酒囊饭袋。
Tā bùxuéwúshù, jiǎnzhí jiùshì gè jiǔnáng-fàndài.
He's ignorant and incompetent - basically a useless freeloader.

Tips

history
Traceable to Wang Chong's 论衡 (Eastern Han): 腹为饭坑,肠为酒囊 - 'the belly is a rice pit, the bowels a wine sack' - describing those who only eat and drink without thinking.
register
Strongly insulting. Use only when describing someone harshly; not appropriate in polite or professional speech.

Stroke Order

酒 jiǔ
囊 náng
饭 fàn
袋 dài