Meaning:

    “吃” means to “eat,” “素” means “vegetables,” and “的” is a suffix that indicates the phrase is used as a noun. Literally meaning a “vegetarian,” this term refers to someone who is weak and an easy target in colloquial Chinese. People often use this term with a negation, saying someone is “not an easy target” (不是吃素的).

    Example:

    A: 怎么周末还装修，楼上的邻居还让不让人休息了？

    Zěnme zhōumò hái zhuāngxīu, lóushàng de línjū hái ràngburàng rén xīuxī le?

    Why are they refurbishing the apartment upstairs on a weekend? Isn’t it time to rest?

    B: 你让物业的人去跟他们交涉一下吧。

    Nǐ ràng wùyè de rén qù gēn tāmen jiāoshè yīxià ba。

    You can ask the real estate management to talk with them.

    A: 直接上楼跟他们说不行吗？

    Zhíjiē shànglóu gēn tāmen shuō bùxíng ma?

    Why not go upstairs and talk with them ourselves?

    B: 你试试吧，他们家男主人可不是吃素的。

    Nǐ shìshì ba, tāmen jiā nán zhǔrén kě bùshì chīsùde。

    You can give it a try, but the man of that house is not easy to persuade.