ji1 sik6衣食
Jyutpingji1 sik6
Yaleyī sihk
Definition
Clothing and food, used metaphorically to refer to one's quality of life or living standard.
neutralfoodclothing
How it's used
Refers to the basic necessities of life, often appearing in the set phrase 衣食住行 to cover the four pillars of survival. Beyond the literal meaning, it carries a moral weight regarding the virtue of not being wasteful. Someone who is described as 惜衣食 is seen as someone who respects the effort required to provide for them.
Examples
Their family has no worries about food and clothing, they live very happily.
Related words
Common phrases
to have no worries about food and clothing
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply talking about clothes and food as separate items. It is almost always used as a collective noun representing one's livelihood or the moral duty to avoid waste.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
