[Idiom] Eat to live, not live to eat

What is the meaning of "Eat to live, not live to eat"?

[Anglika]

Take food in to maintain physical health. Do not regard eating as the only reason to live.

[thedaffodils]

Originally Posted by ben123

What is the meaning of "Eat to live, not live to eat"?

Hi! I am not a teacher. I agree with Anglika.

Here's my two cents in addition.

Without eating any food, human beings or other animals would die so this "eat to live".

Except for eatng-the basic need, human beings should have love, patriotism, dreams, morality, ideals, humanity, benevolence, music, education and such. Other animals don't have such complex sentiments and they just hunt for food all day long for survival. Thus, if you lived to eat and had no dream, love, etc., you would be nothing different with other animals. The significance of life for us human beings is not to live only.