📖 Meaning
A metaphor for a person who only eats and drinks but accomplishes nothing useful. It describes someone who is utterly idle and incompetent, serving no purpose beyond consuming food and wine. The term conveys strong contempt for such worthlessness.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from the Song dynasty poet Wang Yucheng's poem 'In Reply to Secretary An's Song Collection,' where he writes that one sleeps at night and rushes by day without noticing aging, and that being a mere rice bag and wine jar is hardly worth mentioning. Later, the Southern Song poet Lu You also referenced it in his poem 'Imitating Sichuanese Tea Brewing,' lamenting that rice bags and wine jars are everywhere while few truly appreciate the fine Mengshan purple bamboo shoot tea. The expression thus became a classical literary condemnation of idle, useless individuals.
💡 Example Usage
这些饭囊酒瓮之徒整日吃喝玩乐，于国于民毫无用处。
These worthless good-for-nothings spend their days eating, drinking, and playing, serving neither the country nor the people.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 饭囊酒瓮
- Pinyin: fàn náng jiǔ wèng
- Literal Translation: rice bag, wine jar
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4