break one's promise; go back on one's word
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to break one's promise for personal gain; to go back on one's word and profit from it
literary源自《左传·哀公二十五年》：“是食言多矣，能无肥乎！”原意指经常说话不算数，故而“肥”（得利）。含强烈贬义，多用于批评背信弃义以谋取私利的行为。
Tā他
duō多
cì次
shí食
yán言
ér而
féi肥
，
yǐ已
jīng经
méi没
rén人
xiāng相
xìn信
tā他
le了
。
He has broken his word so many times for personal gain that nobody believes him anymore.
Zuò做
shēng生
yì意
jiǎng讲
jiū究
chéng诚
xìn信
，
jué绝
bù不
néng能
shí食
yán言
ér而
féi肥
。
Business requires integrity; one must never break promises for profit.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Zhè这
zhǒng种
shí食
yán言
ér而
féi肥
de的
xíng行
wéi为
，
zuì最
zhōng终
huì会
dǎo导
zhì致
zhòng众
pàn叛
qīn亲
lí离
。
Such behavior of breaking one's word for personal gain will ultimately lead to abandonment by all.