潦倒 (liáo dǎo) — to be down and out; to be frustrated and impoverished

Definition

Examples

• 那位作家晚年生活潦倒，郁郁不得志。
  Nà wèi zuò jiā wǎn nián shēng huó liáo dǎo, yù yù bù dé zhì.
  That writer lived a down-and-out life in his later years, depressed and unfulfilled.
• 他虽然潦倒，但从未放弃自己的理想。
  Tā suī rán liáo dǎo, dàn cóng wèi fàng qì zì jǐ de lǐ xiǎng.
  Although he was down and out, he never gave up on his ideals.
• 那个曾经富有的商人如今已经潦倒不堪。
  Nà ge céng jīng fù yǒu de shāng rén rú jīn yǐ jīng liáo dǎo bù kān.
  That once wealthy businessman is now utterly down and out.

Origin