食色性也 |
shí sè xìng yě |
Appetite and lust are only natural (Mencius 6A:4). / By nature we desire food and sex. |
食 |
shí |
to eat / food / animal feed / eclipse |
食 |
sì |
to feed (a person or animal) |
食色 |
shí sè |
food and sex / appetite and lust |
色 |
sè |
color / CL:种 / look / appearance / sex |
色 |
shǎi |
(coll.) color / used in 色子 |
性 |
xìng |
nature / character / property / quality / attribute / sexuality / sex / gender / suffix forming adjective from verb / suffix forming noun from adjective, corresponding to -ness or -ity / essence / CL:个 |
也 |
Yě |
surname Ye |
也 |
yě |
also; too; as well; (not ...) either / (used after a verbal or nominal expression X to indicate that X is an extreme or unexpected case) even (X) / (literary) particle having functions similar to 啊 |