# 节衣缩食

jié yī suō shí

Spend very little on daily necessities

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Reduce clothing and food

**Traditional Chinese:** 節衣縮食

**Register:** Somber · general

[Effort & growth](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/effort)

## When to use it

Describe deliberate frugality to meet a financial goal.

Often implies sacrifice; it is stronger than avoiding waste.

## Understanding the expression

Clothing and food are basic needs, so reducing them suggests more than skipping luxuries. The expression describes tight budgeting, often to support family, repay debt, or afford education. It can praise determination while acknowledging hardship. It does not mean that neglecting basic needs is sensible. A person may keep essentials adequate yet live extremely modestly, with the intended sacrifice made clear by the purpose given in the sentence.

## Examples

父母节衣缩食供她上大学。

### Traditional Chinese

父母節衣縮食供她上大學。

fù mǔ jié yī suō shí gòng tā shàng dà xué 。

Her parents lived frugally to put her through university.

他节衣缩食，终于还清欠款。

### Traditional Chinese

他節衣縮食，終於還清欠款。

tā jié yī suō shí ， zhōng yú huán qīng qiàn kuǎn 。

He lived very frugally and finally repaid his debts.

为了买房，我们节衣缩食了几年。

### Traditional Chinese

為了買房，我們節衣縮食了幾年。

wèi le mǎi fáng ， wǒ men jié yī suō shí liǎo jǐ nián 。

We lived frugally for several years to buy a home.

别为了追星节衣缩食，连饭都不好好吃。

### Traditional Chinese

別為了追星節衣縮食，連飯都不好好吃。

bié wèi le zhuī xīng jié yī suō shí ， lián fàn dōu bù hǎo hǎo chī 。

Do not sacrifice necessities for a celebrity obsession and neglect proper meals.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E7%AF%80%E8%A1%A3%E7%B8%AE%E9%A3%9F)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=401&webMd=1&la=0)

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