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HSK 4 Chinese reading practice

画饼充饥

huà bǐng chōng jī

Drawing a Cake to Satisfy Hunger

An emperor compares fame to a drawn cake, but Lu Yu argues that real achievements must be examined.

RECOMMENDEDHSK 4
READ2 min
HANZI271
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CULTURE

The cake is a comparison

This account is adapted from Lu Yu’s biography in Sanguozhi, volume 22. The emperor compares reputation with a cake drawn on the ground; he does not actually draw cakes for hungry people. Lu Yu’s reply leads to a proposal for assessing officials’ achievements. Today 画饼充饥 describes satisfying oneself with an imagined benefit that does not meet the real need.

Key vocabulary12 words from this story
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Check your understanding

Answer three questions without looking at the English translation.

01魏明帝把选人的事交给了谁？
02魏明帝为什么提到画在地上的饼？
03魏明帝最后接受了什么建议？
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Chinese idiom guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about 画饼充饥

What does 画饼充饥 mean in English?

画饼充饥 (huà bǐng chōng jī) literally means “draw a cake to satisfy hunger.” It describes comforting oneself with an imagined benefit that cannot actually satisfy the need.

When is 画饼充饥 used?

Use 画饼充饥 (huà bǐng chōng jī) when an attractive image, promise, or imagined result substitutes for something real. It does not mean that all planning is useless. The source comparison occurs in a discussion of selecting officials by reputation. For example: 没有资金和人员，这份漂亮的计划只能画饼充饥。 (Without funding or staff, this attractive plan can offer only imaginary satisfaction.)

What is the pinyin for 画饼充饥?

The pinyin pronunciation for 画饼充饥 is “huà bǐng chōng jī.”