"Survivor of the fittest"

[Jackleit]

Beginnner Lesson 51 has the term 弱肉強食, survivor of the fittest. I'm having trouble figuring out the kanji- I guess it's weak/meat/strong/eat, but I'm having trouble figuring out how that got to "survivor of the fittest". any ideas on the origin of this?

Jack

[norgus]

If I had to approximate a guess, I'd say weak meat is the weaker creature (rabbit lets say) and strong food means that the weaker meat (rabbit) becomes the strongs (fox) food.

I don't know about official origins or reasons though.

[Psy]

I'd say flip it around and let the Western brain finish the work. weak-meat-strong-eat... the strong eat the weak-meat. The strong overcome the weak. Kinda the same meaning behind "survival of the fittest," isn't it?

For more fun with 四字熟語 (yoji-jukugo), anyone care to try 「十人十色」?

[norgus]

Well the translation being that every person has their own ideas/way of thinking matches this well if you think about it.

Taking 10 people, you get 10 differrent colours (colours being the individuals way of thinking)

[JockZon]

As we say in sweden "Smaken är som baken, delad" which means like "The taste is like your ass, parted" You know, parted into two butt cheaks. Hehe.