# 暴殄天物

bào tiǎn tiān wù

Waste valuable resources recklessly

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Destroy heaven's gifts

**Register:** Critical · literary

[Choices & judgment](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/decisions)

## When to use it

Condemn needless destruction or squandering of useful things.

Stronger than ordinary inefficiency or a disliked purchase.

## Understanding the expression

Things supplied by nature or human labor are treated as gifts that deserve care. The expression condemns throwing away, destroying, or misusing them without proportionate reason. Food waste is a common modern context, but materials and fine craftsmanship can also qualify. The criticism is about reckless squandering rather than insisting that every object must be kept forever. Responsible disposal of unsafe or unusable goods differs from wasting resources that could still serve people.

## Examples

整桌饭菜倒掉，真是暴殄天物。

### Traditional Chinese

整桌飯菜倒掉，真是暴殄天物。

zhěng zhuō fàn cài dǎo diào ， zhēn shì bào tiǎn tiān wù 。

Throwing away the whole meal is reckless waste.

别把好木材烧了，太暴殄天物。

### Traditional Chinese

別把好木材燒了，太暴殄天物。

bié bǎ hǎo mù cái shāo le ， tài bào tiǎn tiān wù 。

Burning good timber would be wasteful.

买来不用就丢，简直暴殄天物。

### Traditional Chinese

買來不用就丟，簡直暴殄天物。

mǎi lái bú yòng jiù diū ， jiǎn zhí bào tiǎn tiān wù 。

Buying something only to discard it unused is wasteful.

他修好旧家具，避免暴殄天物。

### Traditional Chinese

他修好舊傢俱，避免暴殄天物。

tā xiū hǎo jiù jiā jù ， bì miǎn bào tiǎn tiān wù 。

He repaired the furniture to avoid wasting useful things.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E6%9A%B4%E6%AE%84%E5%A4%A9%E7%89%A9)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=531&webMd=1&la=0)

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