坐吃山空
zuò chī shān kōng
even a mountain of wealth runs out if you only spend and earn nothing
Character by character
坐zuò
sit
sit
吃chī
eat
eat
山shān
mountain
mountain
空kōng
empty
empty
Example
他辞职一年多了，一直靠积蓄过日子，再这样下去，迟早会坐吃山空。
He left his job more than a year ago and has lived on his savings ever since; if he carries on like this, he will eat through everything sooner or later.
Tone: negative (criticism).
Usage and origin
A warning to anyone living off savings, an inheritance or past success without new income; often 再这样下去会坐吃山空 or 不能坐吃山空. Its remedy is 开源: finding new income.
Learn this in Lesson 189 · HSK 7–9: 先花后还 (Spend now, pay later)
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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