飢不擇食 jī bù zé shí

beggars can’t be choosers

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. when hungry, you can't pick what you eat (idiom); beggars can't be choosers
  2. 2. When matters are urgent, don't spend time choosing alternatives.

Characters

Character Meaning
飢 jī
variant of 飢jī; hungry
不 bù HSK 1
not; no; (negative prefix)
擇 zé
to select; to choose; to pick out
食 shí HSK 5
to eat; food; animal feed