Proverb / Kotowaza
牛飲馬食
To eat and drink in enormous quantities.
Drinking like a cow and eating like a horse
Quick Answer
To eat and drink in enormous quantities.
- Literal Image
- Drinking like a cow and eating like a horse
- How to Use It
- Can be used to describe someone eating or drinking vigorously at a banquet or after physical activity, or as a cautionary phrase regarding health.
Meaning
This expression describes consuming large amounts of food and drink, comparing the intensity to a cow drinking water or a horse grazing. It is used to depict hearty eating at gatherings or to warn against overindulgence for health reasons.
Literal Image
Drinking like a cow and eating like a horse
How to Use It
Can be used to describe someone eating or drinking vigorously at a banquet or after physical activity, or as a cautionary phrase regarding health.
Tone
Neutral and descriptive, but can carry a cautionary or slightly humorous tone depending on the context.
Examples
若者たちが集まって、牛飲馬食の宴が始まった。
A group of young people gathered, and a banquet of heavy eating and drinking began.
彼はスポーツの後、牛飲馬食して周囲を驚かせた。
He ate and drank so much after sports that he surprised those around him.
健康のために、牛飲馬食は慎むべきだ。
For the sake of your health, you should refrain from excessive eating and drinking.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
While the kanji are simple, four-character idioms (yojijukugo) are advanced vocabulary.
牛
うし / ushi
cow
飲
いん / in
drinking
馬
うま / uma
horse
食
しょく / shoku
eating
Usage Profile
Usage note: When used for health, it implies a lack of self-control.
Misread Risk
Do not interpret this literally as livestock behavior; it is a metaphor for human consumption.
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Related Proverbs
Origin
The expression originates from comparing the vigorous eating and drinking habits of cows and horses to the way some humans consume large quantities of food and drink.
Index
Topics, Situations, and Tags
Topics
Situations
Tags
Source Note
Where did this entry get its data from? The reference links are listed below. To understand how to read this section, see Data Sources.