吃嗟来之食

吃嗟来之食

Literally means:

receive food offered contemptuously

Actually means:

嗟, an impolite greeting in ancient China, is close in meaning to the contemporary expression: "You! there". 食 means food.

嗟来之食 means humiliating alms. The whole phrase refers to receiving shameful or dubious charity. Slightly derogatory.

嗟，古代用的不客气的呼唤声，相当于现在的 “喂”。食，吃的东西。

嗟来之食，带有侮辱性的的施舍。吃嗟来之食，接受损害自身尊严或别有用心的施舍。略含贬义。