a floating house and drifting home; living a nomadic life on the water
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
to live a life drifting on the water; nomadic life on boats
literaryUsed to describe people who live on boats or ships for extended periods, often fishermen or traders, with a connotation of instability and lack of a fixed home. Sometimes extended metaphorically to describe a wandering, unsettled life in general.
Zhè这
yī一
dài带
de的
yú渔
mín民
guò过
qù去
dōu都
shì是
fú浮
jiā家
fàn泛
zhái宅
，
yǐ以
chuán船
wéi为
jiā家
。
Fishermen in this area used to live a nomadic life on the water, making their boats their homes.
Zài在
gǔ古
dài代
，
yǒu有
xiē些
shāng商
rén人
guò过
zhe着
fú浮
jiā家
fàn泛
zhái宅
de的
shēng生
yá涯
。
In ancient times, some merchants lived a life drifting on boats.
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Tā他
yàn厌
juàn倦
le了
fú浮
jiā家
fàn泛
zhái宅
de的
piāo漂
bó泊
，
kě渴
wàng望
yī一
gè个
ān安
wěn稳
de的
jiā家
。
He grew tired of the nomadic life on the water and longed for a stable home.
Fú浮
jiā家
fàn泛
zhái宅
de的
shēng生
huó活
suī虽
rán然
zì自
yóu由
，
què却
yě也
shí十
fēn分
jiān艰
kǔ苦
。
Although the floating life is free, it is also very arduous.