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易子而食. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
易子而食, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
易子而食 in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
易子而食 you have here. The definition of the word
易子而食 will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
易子而食, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Chinese
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change; easy; simple
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child; son; (noun suffix) child; son; ( noun suffix); small thing; seed; egg; 1st earthly branch; 11 p.m.–1 a.m., midnight |
and; as well as; but (not) and; as well as; but (not); yet (not); (shows causal relation); (shows change of state); (shows contrast) |
eat; food; to feed eat; food; to feed; animal feed |
| trad. (易子而食)
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易
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子
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而
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食
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| simp. #(易子而食)
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易
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子
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而
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食
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Etymology
From Zuo Zhuan:
敝邑易子而食，析骸以爨。 - From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4th century BCE
- Bìyì yìzǐ'érshí, xīháiyǐcuàn.
- In the city we are exchanging our children and eating them, and splitting up their bones for fuel.
Pronunciation
Idiom
易子而食
- (archaic) to exchange own children with one another and then eat them (describing dire famines)
他對我講書的時候，親口說過可以易子而食；又一回偶然議論起一個不好的人，他便說不但該殺，還當食肉寢皮。 既然可以易子而食，便什麼都易得，什麼人都吃得。
他对我讲书的时候，亲口说过可以易子而食；又一回偶然议论起一个不好的人，他便说不但该杀，还当食肉寝皮。 既然可以易子而食，便什么都易得，什么人都吃得。 - From: 1918 May, Lu Xun, 《狂人日記》 (A Madman's Diary)
- Tā duì wǒ jiǎngshū de shíhòu, qīnkǒu shuōguò kěyǐ yìzǐ'érshí; yòuyīhuí ǒurán yìlùnqǐ yīge bùhǎo de rén, tā biàn shuō bùdàn gāi shā, hái dāng shíròuqǐnpí. jìrán kěyǐ yìzǐ'érshí, biàn shénme dōu yì dé, shénme rén dōu chī dé.
- When he was teaching me, he told me himself, it is totally possible for people to exchange their sons to allay their hunger. And once in discussing a bad man he said that not only did the fellow deserve to be slain, he should “have his flesh eaten and his hide slept on.” Since it is possible to exchange sons to eat, then anything can be exchanged, anyone can be eaten.