📖 Meaning
Literally meaning 'little porridge but many monks,' this idiom describes a situation where resources are scarce but demand is high, so there is not enough to go around. It is used when there are too many people competing for too few opportunities, positions, or goods.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase comes from an essay by the modern Chinese journalist and essayist Zou Taofen (1895–1944), titled 'Schools and the Marketplace.' In it, Zou quotes a writer surnamed Xing who observed that primary school teachers led a hard life, yet because there were too many candidates chasing too few teaching positions, people fought bitterly over jobs and created a chaotic atmosphere. The idiom vividly likens the situation to monks crowding around a temple where the pot of porridge is too small to feed everyone.
💡 Example Usage
就业市场粥少僧多，许多毕业生不得不转行谋生。
With so few jobs and so many applicants, many graduates have had to switch careers to make a living.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 粥少僧多
- Pinyin: zhōu shǎo sēng duō
- Literal Translation: congee, little, monks, many
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4