IdiomFood & Drink
Vietnamese
VietnameseĂn cháo đá bát
Meaning: To be ungrateful and turn on those who helped you.
Literally: To eat the porridge then kick the bowl
Example: “Được công ty đào tạo rồi bỏ sang đối thủ, đúng là ăn cháo đá bát.” — Getting trained by the company and then joining a rival is biting the hand that feeds you.
English equivalent: To bite the hand that feeds you
Equivalents in other languages
Portuguese: cuspir no prato que comeu Literally: To spit in the plate that one ate from
French: Cracher dans la soupe Literally: To spit in the soup
English: bite the hand that feeds you
Origin: Eating the rice porridge and then kicking the bowl away is turning on whoever fed one. The Vietnamese saying is used of ingratitude toward a benefactor, like English "bite the hand that feeds you."
More Vietnamese idioms
- Nước đổ lá khoai Advice or effort that has no effect at all; in one ear and out the other.
- Cõng rắn cắn gà nhà To bring in an outsider who harms your own people.
- Ăn cơm nhà vác tù và hàng tổng To do thankless public work at your own expense.
- Đứng núi này trông núi nọ Never satisfied with what you have; the grass is always greener.
Explore another collection: False Friends
Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.
Keep exploring