economize; live frugally; tighten one's belt
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
to economize on food and clothing; to live frugally; to tighten one's belt
Variant form of 节衣缩食 (jié yī suō shí). This word order is less common but carries the same meaning.
Wèi为
le了
gěi给
hái孩
zi子
zǎn攒
xué学
fèi费
，
fū夫
qī妻
liǎ俩
bù不
dé得
bù不
suō缩
yī衣
jié节
shí食
。
In order to save up for their child's tuition, the couple had no choice but to tighten their belts.
Nà那
duàn段
kùn困
nán难
shí时
qī期
，
quán全
jiā家
rén人
dōu都
suō缩
yī衣
jié节
shí食
，
hù互
xiāng相
fú扶
chí持
。
During that difficult period, the whole family lived frugally and supported each other.
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Yǔ与
qí其
suō缩
yī衣
jié节
shí食
de地
guò过
rì日
zi子
，
bù不
rú如
xiǎng想
bàn办
fǎ法
zēng增
jiā加
shōu收
rù入
。
Rather than scrimping and saving to get by, it's better to find ways to increase income.