节衣缩食
jié yī suō shí
HSK 3.0 Level 7
Rare
Definitions
- 1. to save on food and clothing (idiom); to live frugally
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Word relationships
Usage notes
Common mistakes
节衣缩食 cannot be split or used literally; it is a fixed idiom for frugality, not just saving clothes and food.
Formality
Mainly used in written or formal contexts; in casual speech, 省吃俭用 is more common.
Example Sentences
1 shown父母 节衣缩食 供他上学。
His parents lived frugally to send him to school.
AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.