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

Definition

Literary/formal word for being 'down and out' — penniless and discouraged in life. Mostly describes a person's later state, written rather than spoken.

verb
to be down and outto be frustrated and impoverished

Examples

  • 潦倒
    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.
  • 潦倒
    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.
  • 潦倒
    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.

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