茹毛飲血

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Chinese[edit]

eat; rubicene (chemistry) hair; fur; one tenth of a yuan or dollar drink blood
trad. (茹毛飲血)
simp. (茹毛饮血)
Literally: “to eat hair and drink blood”.

Etymology[edit]

From the Book of Rites, Book 9 (《禮記·禮運》):

先王宮室草木鳥獸 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
先王宫室草木鸟兽 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Book of Rites, c. 4th – 2nd century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Xī zhě xiānwáng, wèi yǒu gōngshì, dōng zé jū yíng kū, xià zé jū zēng cháo. Wèi yǒu huǒ huà, shí cǎomù zhī shí, niǎoshòu zhī ròu, yǐnxuè, máo. [Pinyin]
Formerly the ancient kings had no houses. In winter they lived in caves which they had excavated, and in summer in nests which they had framed. They knew not yet the transforming power of fire, but ate the fruits of plants and trees, and the flesh of birds and beasts, drinking their blood, and swallowing (also) the hair and feathers.

Pronunciation[edit]


Idiom[edit]

茹毛飲血

  1. to consume raw animal meat with its hair and blood unremoved; to live a primitive life