1 lit. not eating for fear of choking (idiom); fig. to cut off one's nose to spite one's face
2 to avoid sth essential because of a slight risk
宵衣旰食
xiāo yī gàn shí
1 to dress before light and not eat before dark (idiom)
2 diligently attending to official matters
寝食难安
qǐn shí nán ān
1 lit. cannot rest or eat in peace (idiom)
2 fig. extremely worried and troubled
废寝忘食
fèi qǐn wàng shí
1 to neglect sleep and forget about food (idiom)
2 to skip one's sleep and meals
3 to be completely wrapped up in one's work
弱肉强食
ruò ròu qiáng shí
1 lit. the weak are prey to the strong (idiom); fig. predatory behavior
2 the law of the jungle
强扭的瓜不甜
qiǎng niǔ de guā bù tián
1 lit. if you have to use force to break a melon off the vine, it won't taste sweet (because it's only when the melon is ripe that it can be removed with just a slight twist) (idiom)
2 fig. if sth is not meant to be, it's no use trying to force it to happen
忆苦思甜
yì kǔ sī tián
1 to view one's past as miserable and one's present as happy (idiom)
民以食为天
mín yǐ shí wéi tiān
1 Food is the God of the people. (idiom); People view food as the primary need.
2 Food first, ethical niceties second
灭此朝食
miè cǐ zhāo shí
1 lit. not to have breakfast until the enemy is destroyed
2 anxious to do battle (idiom)
狂饮暴食
kuáng yǐn bào shí
1 drunken gluttony (idiom); eating and drinking to excess
率兽食人
shuài shòu shí rén
1 lit. to lead beasts to eat the people (idiom); fig. tyrannical government oppresses the people