草 ㄘㄠ ˇ cǎo 菅 ㄐㄧㄢ jiān 人 ㄖㄣ ˊ rén 命 ㄇㄧㄥ ˋ mìng human life as grass (idiom); to kill people like scything grass a politician acting with total disregard for the life of his countrymen