Level: beginner
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Total words: 81
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HSK1: 15
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HSK2: 7
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HSK3: 9
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HSK4: 4
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HSK5: 4
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HSK6: 6
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画饼充饥 Relieving hunger with a picture of cakes
三国时代魏国的皇帝曹睿,准备选拔一个有才能的人到朝廷来做官。
Once in the Three Kingdoms Period (A.D. 220-280), the duke of the Wei kingdom, Cao Rui, planed to select a very capable man to work for him.
曹睿对他的大臣说:“选择人才,不能光找有虚名的人。虚名好像是画的一块饼,只能看,不能解决肚子饥饿的问题啊!”
He said to his ministers: "When choosing a talented person, always beware of one with a false reputation. A false reputation is just like a picture of a cake; it can't ease hunger."
后来,人们就用“画饼充饥”这个成语比喻用空想安慰自己,不能解决实际问题。
Later, this idiom came to be used to mean comforting oneself with unrealistic thoughts, without solving practical problems.
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