脑满肠肥 (nǎo mǎn cháng féi) — (idiom, derogatory) overfed and idle; potbellied and simple-minded; rich but gluttonous and lazy

Definition

Derogatory chengyu describing a fat, idle rich person — body bloated from overeating, mind empty from doing nothing. Almost always negative; used to mock, not to describe appearance neutrally.

idiom
(idiom, derogatory) overfed and idlepotbellied and simple-mindedrich but gluttonous and lazy

Examples

  • ，脑满肠肥。
    Tā zhěng tiān chī hē wán lè, yí fù nǎo mǎn cháng féi de yàng zi.
    He spends all day eating, drinking, and having fun; he looks like a brainless glutton.
  • 脑满肠肥，。
    Zhè ge nǎo mǎn cháng féi de fù wēng zhī zhī dào xiǎng shòu, cóng bù wéi shè huì zuò gòng xiàn.
    This potbellied rich man only knows how to enjoy himself and never contributes to society.
  • 脑满肠肥，。
    Nà xiē nǎo mǎn cháng féi de jiā huo chú le chī jiù shì shuì, yì diǎn zhuī qiú dōu méi yǒu.
    Those brainless gluttons do nothing but eat and sleep; they have no aspirations at all.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

脑满brain full
脑nǎobrain满mǎnfull
主谓Subject + predicate
肠肥intestines fat
肠chángintestines肥féifat
主谓Subject + predicate

脑 full and 肠 fat, describing an overfed, idle person.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 腦; 脑 is its simplified writing.

  • 匕匕bǐ
  • 巛巛chuānhair
  • 囟囟xìnhead; fontanel

In the traditional form 腦, the older part 匕 was replaced by a flesh part, while 巛 (hair) and 囟 (head; fontanel) stayed. The simplified 脑 is a later abbreviation.

Open 脑 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 滿; 满 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㒼
㒼㒼滿mǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 滿 pairs 水, showing water, with 㒼, giving the sound. The simplified 满 is a later shorthand, not the original shape.

Open 满 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 腸; 肠 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
肉肉ròubody
Sound part声符shēngfú
昜
昜yáng腸cháng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 腸 pairs 肉, the body, with 昜, which gives the sound; the simplified 肠 is a later shorthand.

Open 肠 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 肉肉ròumeat
  • 卪卪jiéperson kneeling

肥 is built from 肉, meat, and 卪, a kneeling person.

Open 肥 →

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