Definition
草菅人命 is a four-character idiom (成语) meaning 'to treat human life with utter disregard, as if it were worthless'. The literal image is 'to treat people's lives like grass or weeds' — 草菅 refers to wild grass or straw. This expression is used to criticize rulers, officials, or anyone who shows extreme indifference to the value of human life, often in contexts of violence, negligence, or cruelty. It carries a strong moral condemnation.
v.o.
to treat human life as if it were worthlessto have utter disregard for human life
Examples
- 草菅人命，。Nà ge bàojūn cǎo jiān rén mìng, bǎixìng kǔ bù kān yán.That tyrant treats human life as worthless, and the people suffer unspeakably.
- 草菅人命。Rènhé cǎo jiān rén mìng de xíngwéi dōu huì shòudào fǎlǜ de yán chéng.Any act that treats human life as worthless will be severely punished by law.
- 草菅人命，。Tā wèile lìyì cǎo jiān rén mìng, zuìzhōng zì shí qí guǒ.He treated human life as worthless for profit and ultimately reaped what he sowed.
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