吃喝 chī hē to eat and drink / food and drink 用餐 yòng cān to eat a meal syn 吃掉 chī diào to eat up / to consume syn 进食 進食 jìn shí to eat one's meal syn 张口 張口 zhāng kǒu to open one's mouth (to eat, speak etc) / to gape / to start talking (esp. to make a request) 素食 sù shí vegetarian food / to eat a vegetarian diet syn 吃饱 吃飽 chī bǎo to eat one's fill 吃喝玩乐 吃喝玩樂 chī hē wán lè to eat, drink and be merry (idiom) / to abandon oneself to a life of pleasure syn 吃肉 chī ròu to eat meat 吃不下 chī bu xià not feel like eating / be unable to eat any more 吃住 chī zhù food and lodging / to stay (at some place) and eat meals (there) 白吃 bái chī to eat without paying / to eat for free 吃草 chī cǎo to graze / to eat grass 生吃 shēng chī to eat raw 食人 shí rén man-eating (beast) / to eat people / fig. to oppress the people 两全其美 兩全其美 liǎng quán qí měi to satisfy rival demands (idiom) / to get the best of both worlds / to have it both ways / to have one's cake and eat it too syn 暴食 bào shí to eat too much / to binge 食道 shí dào esophagus / gullet / (old) the proper way to eat / (old) food transportation route syn 饱餐 飽餐 bǎo cān to eat one's fill syn 食补 食補 shí bǔ tonic food (food considered to be particularly healthful) / to eat such foods 打底 dǎ dǐ to lay a foundation (also fig.) / to make a first sketch / to eat sth before drinking / to apply an undercoat 自食其力 zì shí qí lì lit. to eat off one's own strength (idiom) / fig. to stand on one's own feet / to earn one's own living syn 采食 採食 cǎi shí to forage / to gather for eating / to pick and eat 吃不上 chī bu shàng unable to get anything to eat / to miss a meal 大快朵颐 大快朵頤 dà kuài duǒ yí to gorge oneself / to eat heartily (idiom) syn 饥不择食 飢不擇食 jī bù zé shí when hungry, you can't pick what you eat (idiom) / beggars can't be choosers / When matters are urgent, don't spend time choosing alternatives. syn 吃不了兜着走 吃不了兜著走 chī bu liǎo dōu zhe zǒu lit. if you can't eat it all, you'll have to take it home (idiom) / fig. you'll have to take the consequences 鱼与熊掌 魚與熊掌 yú yǔ xióng zhǎng lit. the fish and the bear's paw, you can't have both at the same time (idiom, from Mencius) / fig. you must choose one or the other / you can't always get everything you want / you can't have your cake and eat it 打游击 打游擊 dǎ yóu jī to wage guerrilla warfare / to fight as a guerrilla / (fig.) (coll.) to live or eat at no fixed place syn 果腹 guǒ fù to eat one's fill syn 开荤 開葷 kāi hūn to eat meat after having maintained a vegetarian diet / (fig.) to do sth as a novel experience 自食其果 zì shí qí guǒ to eat one's own fruit (idiom) / fig. suffering the consequences of one's own action / to reap what one has sown syn 大饱口福 大飽口福 dà bǎo kǒu fú to eat one's fill / to have a good meal 吃皇粮 吃皇糧 chī huáng liáng lit. to eat from government coffers / to serve as a government employee / to live off government money 饱 飽 bǎo to eat till full / satisfied syn 蚀 蝕 shí to nibble away at sth / to eat into / to erode syn 馕 饢 nǎng to stuff one's face / to eat greedily syn 餍 饜 yàn to eat to the full 嘬 chuài (literary) to gnaw / to eat ravenously syn 侑 yòu (literary) to urge sb (to eat or drink) syn 喝西北风 喝西北風 hē xī běi fēng lit. to drink the northwest wind (idiom) / fig. to go hungry / to have nothing to eat syn 宵衣旰食 xiāo yī gàn shí to dress before light and not eat before dark (idiom) / diligently attending to official matters 率兽食人 率獸食人 shuài shòu shí rén lit. to lead beasts to eat the people (idiom) / fig. tyrannical government oppresses the people 羹藜含糗 gēng lí hán qiǔ nothing but herb soup and dry provisions to eat (idiom) / to survive on a coarse diet / à la guerre comme à la guerre 羹藜唅糗 gēng lí hān qiǔ nothing but herb soup and dry provisions to eat (idiom) / to survive on a coarse diet / à la guerre comme à la guerre 看菜吃饭 看菜吃飯 kān cài chī fàn to eat depending on the dish (idiom) / fig. to act according to actual circumstances / to live within one's means 癞蛤蟆想吃天鹅肉 癩蛤蟆想吃天鵝肉 lài há ma xiǎng chī tiān é ròu lit. the toad wants to eat swan meat (idiom) / fig. to try to punch above one's weight 食肉寝皮 食肉寢皮 shí ròu qǐn pí to eat sb's flesh and sleep on their hide (idiom) / to swear revenge on sb / implacable hatred / to have sb's guts for garters 朝饔夕飧 zhāo yōng xī sūn lit. breakfast in the morning and supper in the evening (idiom) / fig. to do nothing but eat and drink 食荼卧棘 食荼臥棘 shí tú wò jí to eat bitter fruit and lie on thorns (idiom) / to share the hard life of the common people 忍辱含垢 rěn rǔ hán gòu to eat humble pie / to accept humiliation / to turn the other cheek 病从口入 病從口入 bìng cóng kǒu rù Illness enters by the mouth (idiom). Mind what you eat! / fig. A loose tongue may cause a lot of trouble. 吃粮不管事 吃糧不管事 chī liáng bù guǎn shì to eat without working (idiom) / to take one's pay and not care about the rest 美餐 měi cān tasty meal / to eat a satisfying meal 寝食难安 寢食難安 qǐn shí nán ān lit. cannot rest or eat in peace (idiom) / fig. extremely worried and troubled syn 大吃大喝 dà chī dà hē to eat and drink as much as one likes / to make a pig of oneself syn 上馆子 上館子 shàng guǎn zi to eat out / to eat at a restaurant 下馆子 下館子 xià guǎn zi to eat out / to eat at a restaurant 扒搂 扒摟 pá lou to gather together as with a rake / to shovel food into one's mouth / to eat fast 大快朵颐 大快朵頤 dà kuài - duǒ yí (idiom) to eat with great relish / to feast on (sth) syn 饇 yù to eat too much / to confer 吃大锅饭 吃大鍋飯 chī dà guō fàn lit. to eat from the common pot (idiom) / fig. to be rewarded the same, regardless of performance 吃熊心豹子胆 吃熊心豹子膽 chī xióng xīn bào zi dǎn to eat bear heart and leopard gall (idiom) / to pluck up some courage 看菜吃饭 看菜吃飯 kàn cài - chī fàn lit. to eat depending on the dish (idiom) / fig. to act according to actual circumstances 看菜吃饭，量体裁衣 看菜吃飯，量體裁衣 kàn cài chī fàn , liàng tǐ cái yī lit. to eat depending on the dish, cut cloth according to the body (idiom) / fig. to act according to actual circumstances 心急吃不了热豆腐 心急吃不了熱豆腐 xīn jí chī bu liǎo rè dòu fu hasty men don't get to eat hot tofu (idiom) / one just has to be patient / haste will ruin everything 何不食肉糜 hé bù shí ròu mí lit. "Why don't they eat meat?" (said by Emperor Hui of Jin 晉惠帝|晋惠帝[Jin4 Hui4 di4] when told that his people didn't have enough rice to eat) / fig. (of people from higher class etc) to be oblivious to other people's plight 说葡萄酸 說葡萄酸 shuō pú tao suān sour grapes (set expr. based on Aesop) / lit. to say grapes are sour when you can't eat them 看菜吃饭，量体裁衣 看菜吃飯，量體裁衣 kān cài chī fàn , liáng tǐ cái yī eat depending on the dish, cut cloth according to the body (idiom) / to fit the appetite to the dishes and the dress to the figure / to act according to actual circumstances / to live within one's means 死了张屠夫，不吃混毛猪 死了張屠夫，不吃混毛豬 sǐ le zhāng tú fū , bù chī hùn máo zhū lit. just because Zhang the butcher dies, doesn't mean we'll have to eat pork mixed with bristles (idiom) / fig. nobody is indispensable 含忍耻辱 含忍恥辱 hán rěn chǐ rǔ to eat humble pie / to accept humiliation / to turn the other cheek 外食 wài shí to eat out / food brought in from outside / food not purchased within the premises 噇 chuáng (dialect) to eat or drink extravagantly 自食恶果 自食惡果 zì shí è guǒ lit. to eat one's own bitter fruit (idiom) / fig. to suffer the consequences of one's own actions / to stew in one's own juice 喫 chī variant of 吃 / to eat / to have one's meal / to eradicate / to destroy / to absorb / to suffer / to exhaust 吃不到葡萄说葡萄酸 喫不到葡萄說葡萄酸 chī bù dào pú tao shuō pú tao suān sour grapes (set expr. based on Aesop) / lit. to say grapes are sour when you can't eat them 吃白食 chī bái shí to eat without paying / to freeload 暴饮暴食 暴飲暴食 bào yǐn bào shí to eat and drink unreasonably 茹素 rú sù to eat a vegetarian diet 茹荤 茹葷 rú hūn to eat meat 茹荤饮酒 茹葷飲酒 rú hūn yǐn jiǔ to eat meat and drink wine 饱食终日，无所用心 飽食終日，無所用心 bǎo shí zhōng rì , wú suǒ yòng xīn to eat three square meals a day and do no work (idiom) / to be sated with food and remain idle 狂饮暴食 狂飲暴食 kuáng yǐn - bào shí (idiom) to eat and drink to excess 鱼与熊掌不可兼得 魚與熊掌不可兼得 yú yǔ xióng zhǎng bù kě jiān dé lit. the fish and the bear's paw, you can't have both at the same time (idiom, from Mencius) / fig. you must choose one or the other / you can't always get everything you want / you can't have your cake and eat it 细嚼慢咽 細嚼慢嚥 xì jiáo màn yàn to eat slowly (idiom) 吃白饭 吃白飯 chī bái fàn to eat plain rice / (fig.) to eat and not pay for it / to sponge off others / to freeload 乱吃 亂吃 luàn chī to eat indiscriminately 分餐 fēn cān to eat individual meals (rather than taking one's food from plates served to everyone at the table) 