zit3 ji1 suk1 sik6節衣縮食节衣缩食
Definition
To tighten one's belt; to save money by reducing expenses on food, clothing, and other daily necessities.
How it's used
This idiom carries a sense of hardship and deliberate self-denial, often used to describe a temporary period of extreme frugality for a specific long-term goal. It implies a significant reduction in quality of life rather than just being careful with money. While it sounds slightly formal due to its four-character structure, it is frequently used in casual conversation to emphasize the severity of one's financial situation.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for simply being stingy or cheap, but it specifically refers to sacrificing personal comfort or necessities to save money for a larger purpose. It is not used to describe someone who is naturally miserly.
Grammar color guide
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
