吃了人家的嘴软,拿了人家的手短 吃了人家的嘴軟,拿了人家的手短 吃了人家的嘴軟,拿了人家的手短

having eaten others' food your mouth is soft; having taken others' things your hand is short

Saying俗语俗語

Proverb谚语諺語 · In everyday use

Meaning
If you accept favours or gifts, you find it hard to refuse or criticise the giver. Cautionary, somewhat cynical. Similar to "Beggars can't be choosers" in part; closer to being beholden.
Simplified
吃了人家的嘴软,拿了人家的手短
Traditional (Taiwan)
吃了人家的嘴軟,拿了人家的手短
Pinyin
chīle rénjiā de zuǐruǎn, nále rénjiā de shǒu duǎn
Bopomofo
ㄔ ˙ㄌㄜ ㄖㄣˊ ㄐㄧㄚ ˙ㄉㄜ ㄗㄨㄟˇ ㄖㄨㄢˇ,ㄋㄚˊ ˙ㄌㄜ ㄖㄣˊ ㄐㄧㄚ ˙ㄉㄜ ㄕㄡˇ ㄉㄨㄢˇ

Written with HSK 6 vocabulary, at CEFR level B2.

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