To be completely dependent on others, lacking independence and initiative; to live at the mercy or whim of others.
他因为经济状况不佳，不得不仰人鼻息，凡事都要看别人的脸色行事。
Due to his poor financial situation, he had no choice but to be dependent on others, always having to gauge their mood before acting.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Story:
During the late Eastern Han Dynasty, Yuan Shao led an army against Dong Zhuo. Many regions supported him, but Han Fu, the governor of Jizhou, felt uneasy about Yuan Shao's rising power and began to withhold his military supplies.
Yuan Shao, in turn, dispatched Gongsun Zan to threaten Jizhou with troops and sent Gao Gan to persuade Han Fu.
Ignoring the advice of his strategists, Han Fu surrendered Jizhou to Yuan Shao, who, ironically, had once been dependent on Han Fu for provisions. This act of submission and dependence ultimately led to Han Fu's tragic suicide.
Next Idiom