一贫如洗 (yī pín rú xǐ) — extremely poor; utterly penniless
Definition
An idiom meaning 'penniless, with nothing to one's name' — stronger and more literary than the plain adjective 穷, often used to describe someone who has lost everything.
idiom
extremely poorutterly penniless
Examples
- ，一贫如洗。Nà nián hóng shuǐ chōng kuǎ le tā jiā, cóng cǐ tā jiā yī pín rú xǐ.That year the flood destroyed his home, and his family has been utterly penniless ever since.
- 一贫如洗，，。Tā suī yī pín rú xǐ, dàn zhì qì bù jiǎn, réng zài nǔ lì chuàng yè.Though he is extremely poor, his ambition remains undiminished, and he is still working hard to start a business.
- ，一贫如洗，。Zhè jiā gōng sī jīng yíng bú shàn, yǐ jīng yī pín rú xǐ, bīn lín dǎo bì.This company has mismanaged its operations, is now utterly penniless, and is on the verge of bankruptcy.
Appears in
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