| 寅吃卯粮 |
yín chī mǎo liáng |
lit. eating away next year's food in advance / fig. to dip into the next month's check / live now, pay later |
| 寅 |
yín |
3rd earthly branch: 3-5 a.m., 1st solar month (4th February-5th March), year of the Tiger / ancient Chinese compass point: 60° |
| 吃 |
chī |
to eat; to consume / to eat at (a cafeteria etc) / to eradicate; to destroy / to absorb / to suffer (shock, injury, defeat etc) |
| 吃 |
chī |
variant of 吃 |
| 卯 |
mǎo |
mortise (slot cut into wood to receive a tenon) / 4th earthly branch: 5-7 a.m., 2nd solar month (6th March-4th April), Year of the Rabbit / ancient Chinese compass point: 90° (east) / (coll.) to concentrate one's strength (variant of 铆) |
| 卯 |
mǎo |
variant of 卯 |
| 卯 |
mǎo |
old variant of 卯 |
| 粮 |
liáng |
grain / food / provisions / agricultural tax paid in grain |