📖 Meaning
Describes a house so dilapidated that the roof leaks and the floor is damp, offering no shelter from wind and rain. Figuratively, it evokes a scene of extreme poverty and wretched living conditions, bare of even basic protection against the elements.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the 'Rang Wang' (让王) chapter of the Zhuangzi, a foundational Daoist text from the Warring States period. The passage describes Yuan Xian (原宪), a disciple of Confucius, who lived in a crumbling house where the roof leaked and the ground was damp. Despite such dire poverty, Yuan Xian sat upright, calmly playing his zither and singing, embodying contentment and detachment from material wealth. The image of a serene spirit enduring a leaky, damp dwelling became proverbial for the dignity of poverty.
💡 Example Usage
他的老屋上漏下湿，每逢下雨就苦不堪言。
His old house has a leaking roof and damp floors, making every rainy day utterly miserable.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 上漏下湿
- Pinyin: shàng lòu xià shī
- Literal Translation: roof leaks, ground damp
- Category: Condition
- Characters: 4