📖 Meaning
This idiom describes a lifestyle of wearing simple, coarse clothing and eating plain, unadorned food. It conveys a frugal, unpretentious way of living that values simplicity over luxury and excess.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase traces back to the Song dynasty poet Huang Tingjian, who in his preface to the 'Four Rests Daoist Poem' wrote about finding contentment in coarse tea, plain food, and mended clothes—each sufficing when basic needs were met. The poem extolled a philosophy of knowing when to stop, avoiding greed and envy, and aging peacefully. Over time, the expression became a common metaphor for a modest, self-sufficient life.
💡 Example Usage
他一生粗衣淡饭，却将积蓄全数捐给了学校。
He lived his whole life on coarse clothes and plain food, yet donated all his savings to the school.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 粗衣淡饭
- Pinyin: cū yī dàn fàn
- Literal Translation: coarse clothes, plain rice
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4