吃喝玩乐

• Pinyin: chī hē wán lè
• Hanzi breakdown: 吃 = eat; 喝 = drink; 玩 = play; 乐 = enjoy/music. Four activities representing a pleasure-seeking lifestyle.

Meaning

Eating, drinking, and having fun; wining and dining; pleasure-seeking lifestyle.

A four-character phrase describing a lifestyle focused on enjoyment and entertainment. Can be neutral (describing leisure activities) or negative (implying excessive indulgence or laziness).

Examples

1. 他成天只知道吃喝玩乐，一点正事都不干。 All he does is eat, drink, and have fun; he never does any real work.
2. 旅游就是要吃喝玩乐，放松心情。 Travel is all about eating, drinking, and having fun — relaxing and enjoying yourself.
3. 年轻人不能只顾着吃喝玩乐，也要为将来打算。 Young people can't just focus on pleasure-seeking; they also need to plan for the future.

Usage Guide

Context: criticism, lifestyle, leisure

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 这次出差纯粹是吃喝玩乐。(This business trip was purely wining and dining.)
• 他把钱全花在吃喝玩乐上了。(He spent all his money on eating, drinking, and having fun.)

Don't Say

• 我在图书馆吃喝玩乐 (Contradictory — libraries are for studying, not this kind of leisure)

Origin & History

Four-character compound listing four pleasurable activities: 吃 (eat), 喝 (drink), 玩 (play), 乐 (enjoy).

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal