📖 Meaning
Refers to daily expenses for food, clothing, and everyday necessities. It encompasses all the costs of maintaining one's livelihood and standard of living.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from Chapter 15 of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' (红楼梦) by Cao Xueqin (曹雪芹) of the Qing Dynasty. In the passage, the narrator observes that even the third-rank servant women recently encountered already had remarkable expenses for food, clothing, and daily needs, let alone the household they were now visiting. The phrase highlights the conspicuous consumption and lavish lifestyle of a wealthy aristocratic family.
💡 Example Usage
这家人的吃穿用度都很讲究，可见家境殷实。
This family is particular about all their food, clothing, and daily expenses, showing that they are well-off.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 吃穿用度
- Pinyin: chī chuān yòng dù
- Literal Translation: eat, wear, use, expend
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4