倾家荡产 (qīng jiā dàng chǎn) — to lose one's entire family fortune; to be cleaned out
Definition
A dramatic 成语 meaning to lose one's entire family fortune — total financial ruin. The split (倾 + 荡 + 家 + 产) is just historical imagery; treat it as one fixed phrase that takes no object.
phrase
to lose one's entire family fortuneto be cleaned out
Examples
- ，倾家荡产。Tā fù qīn zuò shēng yi shī bài, chà yì diǎn qīng jiā dàng chǎn.His father's business failed and he nearly lost everything.
- 倾家荡产。Xī dú néng ràng yí gè rén qīng jiā dàng chǎn.Drug addiction can ruin a person and cost them all they have.
- 倾家荡产。Nà chǎng guān si dǎ dé tā qīng jiā dàng chǎn.That lawsuit fought him into total ruin.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.