MM#9 Canibalistic chinese expression ?

kimiik
 August 14, 2008, 09:57 AM posted in General Discussion

For me, there're two ways to understand the following expression : 一个人吃饱 全家不饿

- 1st : If one member of the family have eatten well, all the family is filled up

-2nd : After they eat a man up, all the family is filled up (一个人吃饱了 全家不饿)

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changye
 August 14, 2008, 11:29 AM

Hi kimiik,

Hehe, your second interpretation is just hilarious (and horrifying)! Although I love it very much, but I'm afraid I must say that the both of your interpretations are not right.

The Chinese saying (俗语) "一个人吃饱了 全家不饿" is an extraordinarily humorous way to say "you are single" because your family has only one member, i.e. you. 全家就等于你一个人！

There is another interpretation (by me). If one member of the family becomes a high-ranking bureaucrat in China, all the family, even a second cousin, can make big money.

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kimiik
 August 14, 2008, 12:20 PM

Yes, of course, I get it now... "一个人" meaning someone single ; if the single person have eaten then all the family have eaten.

Changye, thanks for this correction.

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kimiik
 August 14, 2008, 05:15 PM

Btw, here is the name of this movie :

江山美人