Idiom Explanation:
Because of eating something stuck in the throat, you will never eat anything from now on. The metaphor is to simply stop doing something because something went wrong or because you were afraid something would go wrong.
Pronunciation:
因噎废食
yīn yē fèi shí
Origin:
秦·吕不韦《吕氏春秋·荡兵》：“夫有以噎死者，欲禁天下之食，悖。”
Story:
According to legend, there is a story in ancient China: one holiday night, there is a big rich man at home a big banquet. Everyone was drinking and making a lot of noise. Suddenly, the most cheerful an old man dripping with sweat, rolling his eyes, covering his neck, desperately swallowing saliva. It turns out that he was in a hurry to talk, a piece of beef in his mouth did not chewed and swallowed, and as a result, his throat was blocked.
At this point, the people present have gathered around, some said to quickly fill a glass of cold water, some said to swallow a piece of meat, someone forcefully wrench open the old man’s mouth, pick up chopsticks to clip to take, someone is forcefully pinched his neck down scraping. The crowd is talking, moving hands and feet, the old man tormented by the pain.
Finally, the old man was so angry that he could not hold back, yelling “get out of the way”, the piece of beef actually followed the spray out. The crowd laughed and was about to return to their seats to continue eating and drinking, but the rich man said in a loud voice: “Please go back. That old man’s experience is a lesson for us. I think: in order not to happen again such a disaster, wine and meat can not eat, three meals can not have. This house will never allow anyone to eat again.” After saying that, he ordered all the jars in the kitchen to be broken, and all the firewood, rice, oil and salt to be burned.
Similar Idioms:
- 一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳
