swarm like ants to mutton smell; pursue profit/power
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 4 examplesidiom
(derogatory) like ants swarming to mutton; many bad people flocking together in pursuit of something evil or undesirable
derogatoryDescribes groups of unsavory characters gathering around bad influences or immoral activities. Highly derogatory.
Zhè这
xiē些
bù不
liáng良
qīng青
nián年
rú如
yǐ蚁
fù附
shān膻
，
fēn纷
fēn纷
jiā加
rù入
nà那
gè个
fēi非
fǎ法
zǔ组
zhī织
。
These delinquent youths swarmed like ants to mutton, rushing to join that illegal organization.
Kàn看
dào到
yǒu有
lì利
kě可
tú图
，
tóu投
jī机
zhě者
biàn便
rú如
yǐ蚁
fù附
shān膻
bān般
yǒng涌
lái来
。
Seeing there was profit to be made, the speculators swarmed in like ants to a mutton smell.
idiom
(derogatory) to cling to or swarm around rich and powerful people for personal gain; to curry favor with the wealthy and influential
derogatorySpecifically describes opportunistic behavior of attaching oneself to powerful figures to gain advantages.
Nà那
xiē些
xiǎo小
bào报
jì记
zhě者
rú如
yǐ蚁
fù附
shān膻
，
zhěng整
tiān天
wéi围
zhe着
fù富
háo豪
dǎ打
zhuàn转
。
Those tabloid reporters swarmed like ants to mutton, constantly hovering around the wealthy tycoons.
Xīn新
lǐng领
dǎo导
yī一
shàng上
rèn任
，
yī一
xiē些
shàn善
yú于
zuān钻
yíng营
de的
rén人
biàn便
rú如
yǐ蚁
fù附
shān膻
dì地
kào靠
le了
shàng上
qù去
。
As soon as the new leader took office, those adept at scheming swarmed like ants to mutton, attaching themselves immediately.