人為財死，鳥為食亡 rén wèi cái sǐ ， niǎo wèi shí wáng

DEFINITIONS

  1. lit. human beings will die for riches, just as birds will for food (idiom)
  2. fig. man will do anything in his means to become rich

CHARACTERS

人 rén
HSK 1
man; people; mankind; someone else
為 wèi do, handle, govern, act; be
財 cái wealth, valuables, riches
死 sǐ
HSK 4
die; dead; death
鳥 niǎo bird; KangXi radical 196
為 wèi do, handle, govern, act; be
食 shí
HSK 5
eat; meal; food; KangXi radical number 184
亡 wáng
HSK 6
death, destroyed; lose, perish