唐僧肉

Chinese

		Xuanzang	meat; flesh
simp. and trad. (唐僧肉)		唐僧	肉

Etymology

Literally, “the flesh of the monk Tang Seng (Tang Sanzang)”. Tang Sanzang is the central character of the classical novel Journey to the West, whose flesh is reputed to have the ability of making its consumer immortal.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): tángsēngròu

  (Zhuyin): ㄊㄤˊ ㄙㄥ ㄖㄡˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): tong⁴ zang¹ juk⁶
• Southern Min (Teochew, Peng'im): tang⁵ zêng¹ nêg⁸

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: tángsēngròu
    • Zhuyin: ㄊㄤˊ ㄙㄥ ㄖㄡˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: tángsengròu
    • Wade–Giles: tʻang²-sêng¹-jou⁴
    • Yale: táng-sēng-ròu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tarngsengrow
    • Palladius: тансэнжоу (tansɛnžou)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰɑŋ³⁵ sɤŋ⁵⁵ ʐoʊ̯⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: tong⁴ zang¹ juk⁶
    • Yale: tòhng jāng yuhk
    • Cantonese Pinyin: tong⁴ dzang¹ juk⁹
    • Guangdong Romanization: tong⁴ zeng¹ yug⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰɔːŋ²¹ t͡sɐŋ⁵⁵ jʊk̚²/
• Southern Min
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: tang⁵ zêng¹ nêg⁸
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: thâng tseng ne̍k
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰaŋ⁵⁵⁻¹¹ t͡seŋ³³⁻²³ nek̚⁴/

Noun

唐僧肉

1. (figurative) something highly attractive that every person wants a share of; something that is much coveted; a big bonus or benefit that is pursued at any cost

   • 然而現實中，由於制度的篱笆存在著漏洞，致使一些腐敗人員鑽了空子，科研經費遭遇形形色色的利益變現，淪為人人都想咬一口的「唐僧肉」。 [MSC, trad.]
     然而现实中，由于制度的篱笆存在着漏洞，致使一些腐败人员钻了空子，科研经费遭遇形形色色的利益变现，沦为人人都想咬一口的「唐僧肉」。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2016 June 14, 潘铎印 (Pan Duoyin), 《科研经费不是“唐僧肉”》, in 《光明日报》 [Guangming Daily], →ISSN, page 13

     Rán'ér xiànshí zhōng, yóuyú zhìdù de líbā cúnzài zhe lòudòng, zhìshǐ yīxiē fǔbài rényuán zuàn le kōngzǐ, kēyán jīngfèi zāoyù xíngxíngsèsè de lìyì biànxiàn, lúnwéi rénrén dōu xiǎng yǎo yī kǒu de “tángsēngròu”. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 醫保基金，是老百姓的救命錢，不該成為少數違規醫藥機構的「肥肉」，也不能成為誰都惦記、都想分而食之的「唐僧肉」。 [MSC, trad.]
     医保基金，是老百姓的救命钱，不该成为少数违规医药机构的「肥肉」，也不能成为谁都惦记、都想分而食之的「唐僧肉」。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2019 March 7, 王丹 (Wang Dan), 《医保基金不是“唐僧肉”》, in 《光明日报》 [Guangming Daily], →ISSN, page 06

     Yībǎo jījīn, shì lǎobǎixìng de jiùmìngqián, bùgāi chéngwéi shàoshù wéiguī yīyào jīgòu de “féiròu”, yě bùnéng chéngwéi shéi dōu diànjì, dōu xiǎng fēn ér shí zhī de “tángsēngròu”. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 但個人信息不應是誰都想吃上一口的「唐僧肉」，不能任由相關企業違法違規利用個人信息「變現」。 [MSC, trad.]
     但个人信息不应是谁都想吃上一口的「唐僧肉」，不能任由相关企业违法违规利用个人信息「变现」。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2021 January 25, 杨三喜 (Yang Sanxi), 《个人信息不是App的“唐僧肉”》, in 《光明日报》 [Guangming Daily], →ISSN, page 02

     Dàn gèrén xìnxī bù yìng shì shéi dōu xiǎng chī shàng yī kǒu de “tángsēngròu”, bùnéng rènyóu xiàngguān qǐyè wéifǎ wéiguī lìyòng gèrén xìnxī “biànxiàn”. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)