勒緊褲頭

Chinese

		strangle; rein in	tight; nervous; strict	underpants; undershorts
trad. (勒緊褲頭)		勒	緊	褲頭
simp. (勒紧裤头)		勒	紧	裤头

Alternative forms

勒緊褲帶

Etymology

Literally "tightly fasten the waistband/belt of the trousers", an implication of significant underweight and consequently very low waist circumference. This is a figurative way to express someone's state of being financially poor, regardless if the individual is actually underweight as a result of poverty.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): lēi jǐn kùtóu

(Zhuyin): ㄌㄟㄐㄧㄣˇ ㄎㄨˋ ㄊㄡˊ

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: lēi jǐn kùtóu
  - Zhuyin: ㄌㄟㄐㄧㄣˇ ㄎㄨˋ ㄊㄡˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: lei jǐn kùtóu
  - Wade–Giles: lei¹ chin³ kʻu⁴-tʻou²
  - Yale: lēi jǐn kù-tóu
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: lhei jiin kuhtour
  - Palladius: лэй цзинь кутоу (lɛj czinʹ kutou)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /leɪ̯⁵⁵ t͡ɕin²¹⁴⁻²¹ kʰu⁵¹ tʰoʊ̯³⁵/

Idiom

勒緊褲頭

financial austerity; cost-cutting; consequence or measure of being financially poor
由於父親的收入減少，全家人將要勒緊褲頭過活。 [MSC, trad.]
由于父亲的收入减少，全家人将要勒紧裤头过活。 [MSC, simp.]
Yóuyú fùqīn de shōurù jiǎnshào, quán jiārén jiāngyào lèjǐnkùtóu guòhuó. [Pinyin]
Due to reduced income of (our) father, our whole family will need to live at reduced expense.

Usage notes

This idiom is rarely used literally to express an individual's skinny physique without the implication of poor financial prosperity.

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