scrape by for a year; barely survive the year
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesidiom
to barely get through the year; to scrape by for another year
literaryA literary expression used to describe living in hardship, barely making ends meet. Often carries a tone of resignation or struggle.
Zhuāng庄
jia稼
qiàn歉
shōu收
，
cūn村
mín民
men们
zhǐ只
néng能
liáo聊
yǐ以
zú卒
suì岁
。
The harvest failed, so the villagers could only scrape by for the year.
Duì对
yú于
zhè这
wèi位
dú独
jū居
lǎo老
rén人
lái来
shuō说
，
yǎng养
lǎo老
jīn金
jǐn仅
gòu够
liáo聊
yǐ以
zú卒
suì岁
。
For this elderly person living alone, the pension is barely enough to survive the year.
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Zhàn战
luàn乱
nián年
dài代
，
pǔ普
tōng通
bǎi百
xìng姓
liáo聊
yǐ以
zú卒
suì岁
yǐ已
shǔ属
bù不
yì易
。
In times of war, it was already difficult for ordinary people to scrape through the year.
Jǐn尽
guǎn管
shōu收
rù入
wēi微
bó薄
，
tā他
réng仍
rán然
nǔ努
lì力
liáo聊
yǐ以
zú卒
suì岁
。
Despite his meager income, he still strives to make it through the year.