食不语，寝不言
When eating, he did not converse; when in bed, he did not speak.
The proverb originally comes from Confucius. It indicates that Confucius set strict demands on himself and controlled his behaviors in terms of manners. The later generations use this proverb to teach children to have good manners and obey the rules.

 

食多无滋味
Over-eating kills a person’s appetite.
The proverb highlights how overindulging in something can reduce enjoyment of it.

 

食尽鸟投林
When the food is gone, the birds return to the wood.
The proverb is used to mean that those who are unable to support themselves in one place will try another place.

 

食笋须记栽竹人
When eating bamboo-sprouts, remember who planted it
The proverb indicates that people should not forget those who have provided aid to them in the past.

 

食在口头，钱在手头
Food that goes into your mouth is money that goes out of your hand.
The proverb advises one to pay more attention to thrift, as how much one spends is dependent on oneself.

 

食者，国之宝也；兵者，国之爪也
Grains are the treasures of a country; weaponry, its claws.
The proverb means that grain and an army are of vital importance to a country.

 

食者民之本也，民者国之本也
Food is the foundation of the people; the people are the foundations of the country.
This originates from the philosophical book Huainanzi in the Western Han Dynasty. It emphasizes the importance for emperors to actively develop agricultural production to support labor.