too worried to enjoy food; preoccupied with anxiety
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to be too worried or preoccupied to taste one's food; unable to enjoy eating due to anxiety
formalA chengyu used to describe someone who is so preoccupied with worry or important matters that they lose their appetite and cannot enjoy their meals. Often paired with 寝不安席 (unable to sleep soundly).
Tā他
zuì最
jìn近
yōu忧
xīn心
chōng忡
chōng忡
，
shí食
bù不
gān甘
wèi味
。
He has been extremely anxious lately, too worried to even taste his food.
Mǔ母
qīn亲
shēng生
bìng病
zhù住
yuàn院
，
fù父
qīn亲
shí食
bù不
gān甘
wèi味
，
rì日
yè夜
shǒu守
hòu候
。
With his mother hospitalized, his father was too distressed to eat and kept vigil day and night.
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Guó国
shì事
jiān艰
nán难
，
zhōng忠
chén臣
shí食
bù不
gān甘
wèi味
，
qǐn寝
bù不
ān安
xí席
。
With the nation in peril, loyal ministers were so troubled they could neither enjoy their meals nor sleep soundly.