Prey
Victim
noun
An animal makes you its feed and eats you. You have become its prey.
餌食 refers to a living thing eaten as food by a predator. Beyond its literal meaning of animal prey, it's also often used figuratively to mean someone who is helplessly targeted and falls victim to a crime, scam, or bad situation — as if they were being hunted in the wild.
This word uses irregular readings from both of the kanji, so here's a mnemonic to help you remember how to read it:
You're always threatening to turn people into your "prey" because you're an edgy kid (えじき). "Cross me at your own peril, sheeple — you'll be my prey next," you mutter as you wander around your affluent suburb in sunglasses and a trench coat. Gosh, you're such an edgy kid.
餌食になる
to fall prey to
餌食にされる
to be made prey to
餌食になってしまう
to end up falling prey to
餌食になりかける
to be about to fall prey to
サメの餌食になりたくなけりゃ、この辺の海には入るなよ。
If you don't wanna be shark food, stay out of the ocean around here.
彼はサギの餌食になった。
He fell victim to a scam.
次は誰が餌食になるのか。
Who will be preyed upon next?
若者を餌食にする悪いビジネスに気をつけてください。
Please be careful of shady businesses that prey on young people.