吃人

吃人

1. (figuratively) to exploit people; to oppress people

   吃人的舊社會 / 吃人的旧社会  ―  chīrén de jiùshèhuì  ―  (please add an English translation of this example)

   • 我翻開歷史一查，這歷史沒有年代，歪歪斜斜的每頁上都寫著「仁義道德」幾個字。我橫豎睡不著，仔細看了半夜，才從字縫裡看出字來，滿本都寫著兩個字是「吃人」！ [MSC, trad.]
     我翻开历史一查，这历史没有年代，歪歪斜斜的每页上都写着“仁义道德”几个字。我横竖睡不着，仔细看了半夜，才从字缝里看出字来，满本都写着两个字是“吃人”！ [MSC, simp.]

     From: 1918, 魯迅 (Lu Xun), 《狂人日記》 (A Madman's Diary). English translation from Wikisource.

     Wǒ fānkāi lìshǐ yī chá, zhè lìshǐ méiyǒu niándài, wāiwāixiéxié de měi yè shàng dōu xiězhe “rényìdàodé” jǐ ge zì. Wǒ héngshù shuì bù zháo, zǐxì kàn le bànyè, cái cóng zìféng li kànchū zì lái, mǎn běn dōu xiě zhe liǎng ge zì shì “chīrén”! [Pinyin]

     I skimmed through a few history books. Regardless of the era, the pages were filled with words like, “virtue and morality.” In any case, I couldn't fall asleep, so I spent half the night carefully reading. It was only then that I was able to read the words between the lines. The books were filled with the words, “Eat people!”

   • 無數萬成群的奴隸——農民，在那裡打翻他們的吃人的仇敵。 [MSC, trad.]
     无数万成群的奴隶——农民，在那里打翻他们的吃人的仇敌。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 1927, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《湖南農民運動考察報告》 (Report on an Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan), 毛澤東選集 (1991). English translation based on the Foreign Languages Press edition

     Wúshù wàn chéngqún de núlì — nóngmín, zài nàli dǎfān tāmen de chīrén de chóudí. [Pinyin]

     Countless thousands of the enslaved – the peasants – are striking down the enemies who battened on their flesh.