吃人家的嘴软，拿人家的手短 in English chi1 ren2 jia1 de5 zui3 ruan3 , na2 ren2 jia1 de5 shou3 duan3 Meaning

Meanings

  • literally (word for word) the mouth that has been fed by others is soft, the hand that has received doesn't reach (idiomatic expression)
  • metaphorically one is partial to those from whom presents have been accepted

Simplified Characters

吃 人 家 的 嘴 软 ， 拿 人 家 的 手 短

Traditional Characters

吃 人 家 的 嘴 軟 ， 拿 人 家 的 手 短

Pinyin

chi1 ren2 jia1 de5 zui3 ruan3 , na2 ren2 jia1 de5 shou3 duan3

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

吃chi1to eat 人ren2man 家jia1see 傢伙|家伙[jia1 huo5] 的de5of 嘴zui3mouth 软ruan3soft ， 拿na2old variant of 拿[na2] 人ren2man 家jia1see 傢伙|家伙[jia1 huo5] 的de5of 手shou3hand 短duan3short