📖 Meaning
漏脯 refers to dried meat hung under the eaves that became toxic from rainwater leaking onto it. The idiom describes eating poisonous dried meat to satisfy hunger, metaphorically criticizing someone who seeks immediate relief while ignoring catastrophic consequences. It warns against short-sighted fixes that bring greater harm.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase originates from Baopuzi (《抱朴子》), written by the Jin Dynasty Daoist scholar Ge Hong, in the chapter titled Jiadun (嘉遯). The original text reads, 'Chew tainted dried meat to fill one's stomach, and drink poisoned wine to quench one's thirst.' Ge Hong used this imagery to condemn those who pursue short-term remedies that ultimately lead to ruin. The idiom has since become a classic warning against sacrificing long-term safety for temporary relief.
💡 Example Usage
为了还清赌债而去借高利贷，无异于漏脯充饥，只会让处境更加危险。
Borrowing from loan sharks to pay off gambling debts is like eating tainted meat to stave off hunger — it only makes the situation more dangerous.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 漏脯充饥
- Pinyin: lòu fǔ chōng jī
- Literal Translation: leaking, dried meat, fill, hunger
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4