make a living; get by
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
to make a living; to get by; to manage to live
Often implies a modest, hand-to-mouth existence or managing to survive with limited resources. It is used to describe the basic act of living and supporting oneself or one's family.
Nà那
shí时
，
yī一
jiā家
rén人
jiù就
kào靠
fù父
qīn亲
zuò做
gōng工
guò过
huó活
。
Back then, the whole family relied on father's work to get by.
Tā他
men们
kào靠
zhe着
wēi微
bó薄
de的
tuì退
xiū休
jīn金
guò过
huó活
。
They get by on a meager pension.
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Zāi灾
hòu后
，
cūn村
mín民
men们
hù互
xiāng相
bāng帮
zhù助
，
yī一
qǐ起
guò过
huó活
。
After the disaster, the villagers helped each other to get by together.
Guāng光
kào靠
zhè这
diǎn点
gōng工
zī资
，
yī一
jiā家
rén人
hěn很
nán难
guò过
huó活
。
It's hard for a family to make a living on just this small salary.