簞食壺漿

Chinese

round basket for cooked rice
eat; food; to feed
eat; food; to feed; animal feed
 
 pot; (a measure word)
starch paste; broth; serum
starch paste; broth; serum; to starch
 
trad. (簞食壺漿) 簞 食 壺 漿
simp. (箪食壶浆) 箪 食 壶 浆
Literally: “to receive troops with food and drink”.

Etymology

From Mencius (《孟子·梁惠王下》):

以萬乘之國伐萬乘之國，簞食壺漿，以迎王師。豈有他哉？避水火也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, trad.]
以万乘之国伐万乘之国，箪食壶浆，以迎王师。岂有他哉？避水火也。 [Traditional Chinese poetry, simp.]
From: Mencius, c. 4th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Yǐ wànshèng zhī guó fá wànshèng zhī guó, dān shí hú jiāng, yǐ yíng wángshī. Qǐ yǒu tā zāi? Bì shuǐhuǒ yě. [Pinyin]
When, with all the strength of your country of ten thousand chariots, you attacked another country of ten thousand chariots, and the people brought baskets of rice and vessels of congee, to meet your Majesty's host, was there any other reason for this but that they hoped to escape out of fire and water?

Pronunciation

Idiom

簞食壺漿

  1. to give troops a hearty welcome
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