民脂民膏 mín zhī mín gāo People's fat and oil

Explanation

“民脂民膏”指的是人民的血汗和财富。这个成语通常用来形容统治者或当权者对人民的残酷压榨，不择手段地搜刮民财，以满足自身的贪欲。它强调了统治者的贪婪和人民的苦难之间的强烈对比。

"Mín zhī mín gāo" refers to the sweat and wealth of the people. This idiom is often used to describe the cruel exploitation of the people by rulers or those in power, who unscrupulously plunder the people's wealth to satisfy their own greed. It emphasizes the stark contrast between the rulers' greed and the people's suffering.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，有个名叫李善的清官，他一心为民，体恤百姓疾苦。他上任后，发现当地官吏贪污腐败，横征暴敛，搜刮民脂民膏，百姓生活困苦不堪。李善深感痛心，决心改变现状。他整顿吏治，严惩贪官污吏，并减轻赋税，兴修水利，使当地百姓的生活得到了极大的改善。李善的作为得到了百姓的拥戴，他的故事也一代代流传了下来，成为了清官的典范。

huà shuō táng cháo shíqī, yǒu gè míng jiào lǐ shàn de qīng guān, tā yīxīn wèi mín, tǐxù bǎixìng jíkǔ. tā shàng rèn hòu, fāxiàn dāngdì guānlì tānwū fǔbài, héngzhēng bàoliǎn, sōuguā mín zhī mín gāo, bǎixìng shēnghuó kùnkǔ bù kān. lǐ shàn shēn gǎn tòngxīn, juéxīn gǎibiàn xiànzhuàng. tā zhěngdùn lìzhì, yánchéng tānguān wūlì, bìng jiǎn qīng fùshuì, xīngxiū shuǐlì, shǐ dāngdì bǎixìng de shēnghuó dédào le jí dà de gǎishàn. lǐ shàn de zuòwéi dédào le bǎixìng de yǒngdài, tā de gùshì yě yīdài dài liúchuán le xiàlái, chéngwéi le qīngguān de diǎnfàn.

It is said that during the Tang Dynasty, there was an upright official named Li Shan, who dedicated himself to the people and sympathized with their suffering. After taking office, he discovered that local officials were corrupt and extorted the people, making their lives miserable. Li Shan was deeply saddened and determined to change the situation. He reformed the administration, severely punished corrupt officials, reduced taxes, and improved irrigation systems, greatly improving the lives of the local people. Li Shan's actions earned him the respect of the people, and his story has been passed down through generations, becoming a model of an upright official.

Usage

民脂民膏通常用作主语或定语，指人民的财富，多用于批判统治者对人民的压榨和剥削。例如：官府搜刮民脂民膏，激起了民怨。

mín zhī mín gāo tóngcháng yòng zuò zhǔyǔ huò dìngyǔ, zhǐ rénmín de cáifù, duō yòng yú pīpàn tǒngzhì zhě duì rénmín de yāzhà hé bōxuē. lìrú: guānfǔ sōuguā mín zhī mín gāo, jīqǐ le mín yuàn.

Mín zhī mín gāo is usually used as the subject or attribute, referring to the wealth of the people, and it's often used to criticize the oppression and exploitation of the people by the rulers. For example: The government plundered the people's wealth, which aroused public resentment.

Examples

• 自从有了这笔意外之财，他便过上了挥金如土的生活，全然不顾及百姓的疾苦，搜刮民脂民膏

  zìcóng yǒule zhè bǐ yìwài zhī cái, tā biàn guò shang le huījīn rú tǔ de shēnghuó, quánrán bù gùjí bǎixìng de jíkǔ, sōuguā mín zhī mín gāo

  Ever since he came into this unexpected fortune, he has lived a life of extravagance, completely disregarding the suffering of the people, exploiting them.

• 官府横征暴敛，搜刮民脂民膏，百姓苦不堪言

  guānfǔ héngzhēng bàoliǎn, sōuguā mín zhī mín gāo, bǎixìng kǔ bù kān yán

  The government imposes excessive taxes and exploits the people, and the people suffer terribly

Related Idioms

• 民生疾苦

• 国富民强

Opposite Idioms

• 爱民如子

• 为民请命