挑肥拣瘦
tiāo féi jiǎn shòu
to pick and choose; to be fussy for one’s own advantage
Character by character
挑tiāo
pick
pick
肥féi
fat
fat
拣jiǎn
choose
choose
瘦shòu
lean
lean
Example
刚参加工作，别挑肥拣瘦，又脏又累的事也要学着干。
When you have just started work, don’t pick and choose: learn to do the dirty, tiring jobs too.
Tone: negative (criticism).
Usage and origin
The picture is of picking over the meat for the fat or the lean cuts one wants. A criticism of choosiness about jobs, tasks or, in the marriage market, partners: 找对象别太挑肥拣瘦. 挑三拣四 means much the same.
Learn this in Lesson 151 · HSK 7–9: 人民公园相亲角 (The marriage market in People’s Park)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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