sponge off others
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to take advantage of a situation to ask for money or gifts; to sponge off others
archaicAn old idiom describing a petty, opportunistic way of getting handouts, often from those in a better position. It carries a somewhat negative connotation of being freeloading or parasitical.
Tā他
huí回
xiāng乡
hòu后
，
zǒng总
yǒu有
xiē些
yuǎn远
fáng房
qīn亲
qi戚
lái来
dǎ打
qiū秋
fēng风
。
After he returned to his hometown, some distant relatives would always come to sponge off him.
Jiù旧
shí时
yǒu有
xiē些
qióng穷
shū书
shēng生
，
cháng常
dào到
zuò做
guān官
de的
péng朋
you友
jiā家
qù去
dǎ打
qiū秋
fēng风
。
In the old days, some poor scholars would often go to their friends who were officials to get handouts.
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Bié别
zǒng总
xiǎng想
zhe着
qù去
bié别
ren人
nà那
er儿
dǎ打
qiū秋
fēng风
，
yào要
kào靠
zì自
jǐ己
nǔ努
lì力
。
Don't always think about going to others to sponge off them; you should rely on your own hard work.