| 自讨苦吃 |
zì tǎo kǔ chī |
(idiom) to ask for trouble; to make a rod for one's own back |
| 自 |
zì |
(bound form) self; oneself / from; since / naturally; as a matter of course |
| 讨 |
tǎo |
to invite / to provoke / to demand or ask for / to send armed forces to suppress / to denounce or condemn / to marry (a woman) / to discuss or study |
| 苦 |
kǔ |
bitter / hardship / pain / to suffer / to bring suffering to / painstakingly |
| 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 |