占着茅坑不拉屎

Traditional form:

占著茅坑不拉屎

Pinyin (reading):

zhànzhemáokēngbùlāshǐ

Definitions:

• lit. to occupy a latrine but not shit (proverb)
• fig. to be a dog in the manger

Characters:

• 占 - to divine; to observe; to versify
• 着 - to make a move, to take action
• 茅 - rushes, reeds, grass; surname
• 坑 - pit, hole; to trap, to bury; to harry
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 拉 - to pull, to drag; to seize, to hold; to lengthen; to play (a violin)
• 屎 - stool, feces, dung

Traditional characters:

• 占 - to divine; to observe; to versify
• 著 - to show, to prove, to make known
• 茅 - rushes, reeds, grass; surname
• 坑 - pit, hole; to trap, to bury; to harry
• 不 - no, not, un-; negative prefix
• 拉 - to pull, to drag; to seize, to hold; to lengthen; to play (a violin)
• 屎 - stool, feces, dung