油盐酱醋 (yóu yán jiàng cù) — the four basic cooking condiments (oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar); (metaphorical) the daily necessities of life; the mundane essentials of everyday living
Definition
Literally the four basic cooking condiments (oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar), but used figuratively for the mundane essentials of daily life. Often paired with 柴米 in the idiom 柴米油盐.
noun
the four basic cooking condiments (oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar)(metaphorical) the daily necessities of lifethe mundane essentials of everyday living
Examples
- 油盐酱醋。Jiā lǐ yóu yán jiàng cù zhè xiē jī běn tiáo liào dōu bèi qí le.All the basic condiments — oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar — are ready at home.
- 油盐酱醋。Guò rì zi lí bù kāi yóu yán jiàng cù zhè xiē chái mǐ yóu yán.Daily life can't do without these everyday necessities like oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.
- 油盐酱醋。Tā xiě de wén zhāng chōng mǎn le yóu yán jiàng cù de yān huǒ qì.His writing is full of the earthy flavor of daily life.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.