barely survive; linger on
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesverb
to linger on; to barely survive; to be on one's last legs
literaryLiterary idiom describing desperate, temporary survival. Often used for dying entities (people, companies, regimes) with a negative or pitiful connotation.
Zhè这
jiā家
gōng公
sī司
zài在
pò破
chǎn产
biān边
yuán缘
gǒu苟
yán延
cán残
chuǎn喘
le了
sān三
nián年
。
This company lingered on the verge of bankruptcy for three years.
Lǎo老
rén人
tǎng躺
zài在
bìng病
chuáng床
shàng上
，
zhǐ只
shì是
gǒu苟
yán延
cán残
chuǎn喘
ér而
yǐ已
。
The old man is lying in his sickbed, merely lingering on his last breath.
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Zhè这
gè个
zhèng政
quán权
zhǐ只
néng能
zài再
gǒu苟
yán延
cán残
chuǎn喘
jǐ几
gè个
yuè月
。
This regime can only drag out its existence for a few more months.