糊口 (hú kǒu) — to make a living (usually barely enough to get by)

Definition

A written/literary verb meaning 'to scrape together a living' — implies income is just enough to survive, not prosper.

verb
to make a living (usually barely enough to get by)

Examples

  • 糊口
    Tā kào zuò xiǎo shēng yì miǎn qiǎng hú kǒu.
    He barely makes a living by running a small business.
  • Tā yì rén gōng zuò, què hú bù liǎo quán jiā de kǒu.
    He works alone but can't support the whole family.
  • 糊口
    Nà ge nián dài hěn duō nóng mín kào zhòng dì hú kǒu.
    In those years many farmers made a living by farming.

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