人ㄖㄣˊrén為ㄨㄟˋwèi財ㄘㄞˊcái死ㄙˇsǐ，鳥ㄋㄧㄠˇniǎo為ㄨㄟˋwèi食ㄕˊshí亡ㄨㄤˊwáng

（諺語）人為謀取錢財而不惜生命，就像鳥為了覓食而喪生一樣。《官場維新記·第一三回》：「俗語說得好：『人為財死，鳥為食亡。』當時袁伯珍聽得這些說話，便要從此發一宗洋財。」

英lit. human beings will die for riches, just as birds will for food (idiom), fig. man will do anything in his means to become rich