伴食宰相 — “A prime minister who merely dines”
伴食宰相 is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “an incompetent official who holds a high position but does nothing, merely 'accompanying' others in their duties without contributing effectively; a figurehead”. Literally, “a prime minister who merely dines”.
伴食宰相 Pronunciation and Pinyin
伴食宰相 Character Breakdown
Stroke OrderExample Sentence with 伴食宰相
Origin and Story of 伴食宰相
During the Tang Dynasty, official Lu Huaishin was promoted to Huangmenjian in the third year of Kaiyuan. He was to handle military and state affairs alongside Ziyi Ling Yao Chong.
However, Lu Huaishin was timid and incompetent, never daring to make decisions on his own, pushing all responsibilities to Yao Chong.
Many people were dissatisfied with Lu Huaishin's behavior of merely 'eating and doing nothing,' and privately gave him the nickname 'Ban Shi Zai Xiang' (the prime minister who merely dines).
Idioms Related to 伴食宰相
Synonyms of 伴食宰相
More idioms starting with 伴
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Open the tool →Questions about 伴食宰相
What does 伴食宰相 mean?
伴食宰相 (bàn shí zǎi xiàng) is a Chinese idiom (chengyu) meaning “an incompetent official who holds a high position but does nothing, merely 'accompanying' others in their duties without contributing effectively; a figurehead”.
How do you pronounce 伴食宰相?
伴食宰相 is pronounced bàn shí zǎi xiàng in Mandarin Chinese.
What does 伴食宰相 literally mean?
Literally, 伴食宰相 means “a prime minister who merely dines”. It is used to mean “an incompetent official who holds a high position but does nothing, merely 'accompanying' others in their duties without contributing effectively; a figurehead”.
Where does 伴食宰相 come from?
伴食宰相 comes from a classical Chinese story dating back to ancient China. The full story is on this page.
What is the Chinese definition of 伴食宰相?
伴食：陪着人家一道吃饭。用来讽刺无所作为，不称职的官员。