Chinese Tuesdays: Beggars can't be choosers
There are a few ways to say this, but the best one I’ve heard so far is 要饭还嫌馊 (yàofànháixiánsōu). I haven’t been able to find a dictionary definition for it, so it might not be that commonly said or used nationwide.
The last character 馊 (sōu) means 'sour', as in food that has gone rancid, so a more literal translation of the phrase, depending on the situation, might be something like "You beg for food yet resent being given the leftovers."
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Every Tuesday on the Anthill, Sam Duncan posts a langauge titbit from his blog. Read them all here
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Tue 28 May 2013 in
