肉食者

The figurative sense has been used since the Spring and Autumn period. In the past when meat was expensive, people who could have meat were mostly officials because their food expenses were paid by the country.

Zuo Zhuan recorded the following event prior to the Battle of Changshao (《左傳·莊公十年》):

十年春，齊師伐我。公將戰，曹劌請見。其鄉人曰：『肉食者謀之，又何間焉。』劌曰：『肉食者鄙，未能遠謀。』乃入見。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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十年春，齐师伐我。公将战，曹刿请见。其乡人曰：『肉食者谋之，又何间焉。』刿曰：『肉食者鄙，未能远谋。』乃入见。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Shí nián chūn, Qí shī fá wǒ. Gōng jiāng zhàn, Cáo Guì qǐng jiàn. Qí xiāngrén yuē: ‘Ròushí zhě móu zhī, yòu hé jiàn yān.’ Guì yuē: ‘Ròushí zhě bǐ, wèi néng yuǎnmóu.’ Nǎi rù jiàn.

In the spring of the tenth year, the army of Qi invaded our State, and the duke was about to fight, when one Cao Gui (曹劌) requested to be introduced to him. One of Gui's fellow villagers said to him, "The flesh-eaters are planning for the occasion; what have you to do to intermeddle?" He replied, "The flesh-eaters are poor creatures, and cannot form any far-reaching plans." So he entered and was introduced.

肉食者

1. meateater
2. (figuratively) high-ranking officials