Definition
吃里扒外 is a four-character idiom (成语) that literally means 'eat inside but scrape outside'. It describes someone who benefits from one side (their employer, family, or group) while secretly helping the opposing side — essentially betraying their own side. You can use it as a verb phrase in the pattern 对…吃里扒外 ('to be a traitor to …') or directly as a predicate. It carries strong moral condemnation.
idiom
to bite the hand that feeds youto double-cross one's own side
Examples
- 吃里扒外，。Tā jūrán duì bāngzhù guò tā de gōngsī chī lǐ bā, tài ràng rén shīwàng le.He actually bit the hand of the company that helped him — so disappointing.
- 吃里扒外。Zhè zhǒng chī lǐ bā de xíngwéi zài tuánduì lǐ juéduì bù néng róngrěn.This kind of betrayal cannot be tolerated in a team.
- 吃里扒外，。Dàjiā dōu mà tā chī lǐ bā, chūmài le péngyou.Everyone cursed him for being a traitor and selling out his friends.
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