挥金如土
挥金如土 (huī jīn rú tǔ) literally means “spend gold like dirt” and expresses “reckless extravagance”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: hui jin ru tu, hui jin ru tu,挥金如土 meaning, 挥金如土 in english
Reckless extravagance
Pronunciation: huī jīn rú tǔ Literal meaning: Spend gold like dirt
Origin & Usage
Scattering (挥) gold (金) like (如) dirt (土). The Song writer Mao Pang used it in a funeral piece for a friend whose openhandedness was the point of the praise, and traces of that warmth occasionally survive. Modern use is almost entirely disapproving. What the phrase condemns is not the quantity spent but the attitude in 挥, a hand thrown out carelessly — money treated as if it were the one thing there is no need to count, generally by someone who did not earn it.
Examples
English: "He spends money so freely that it seems he doesn't value it at all."
Chinese: 他花钱挥金如土，完全不在乎。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
风土人情
fēng tǔ rén qíng
A place's environment together with its customs
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故土难离
gù tǔ nán lí
Hard to leave one's homeland
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安土重迁
ān tǔ zhòng qiān
Prefer stability; reluctant to relocate
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守时如金
shǒu shí rú jīn
Value time preciously
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金风玉露
jīn fēng yù lù
Autumn wind and dew; autumn scenery
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众口铄金
zhòng kǒu shuò jīn
Repeated by enough people, a falsehood passes for truth
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金碧辉煌
jīn bì huī huáng
Magnificently splendid
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金玉满堂
jīn yù mǎn táng
May your home overflow with wealth
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 挥金如土 mean in English?
挥金如土 (huī jīn rú tǔ) literally translates to “Spend gold like dirt” and is used to express “Reckless extravagance”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 挥金如土 used?
Situation: He spends money so freely that it seems he doesn't value it at all.
What is the pinyin for 挥金如土?
The pinyin pronunciation for 挥金如土 is “huī jīn rú tǔ”.