吹箫乞食 chuī xiāo qǐ shí

to beg while playing the xiao 箫xiāo (mouth organ)

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. to beg while playing the xiao 箫xiāo (mouth organ)
  2. 2. cf Wu Zixu 伍子胥wǔ zǐ xū, destitute refugee from Chu 楚chǔ, busked in Wu town c. 520 BC, then became a powerful politician

Characters

Character Meaning
吹 chuī HSK 5
to blow; to boast; to brag
箫 xiāo
Chinese vertical bamboo flute
乞 qǐ HSK 6
to beg
食 shí HSK 5
to eat; food; animal feed