iron rice bowl

== English == === Etymology === Calque from Chinese 鐵飯碗／铁饭碗 (tiěfànwǎn), from 鐵／铁 (tiě, “iron”) + 飯碗／饭碗 (fànwǎn, “rice bowl”). === Noun === iron rice bowl (plural iron rice bowls) A guaranteed state job in China that lasts until retirement and pays a pension until death. === Further reading === iron rice bowl on Wikipedia.Wikipedia