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jiā 家 tú 徒 sì 四 bì 壁

家徒四壁 jiā tú sì bì

a home with nothing but four bare walls; utterly destitute

Literally: home only four wall

Intermediate 💼 Work & money
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Origin

From the Shiji biography of Sima Xiangru: when Zhuo Wenjun eloped with him, she found his home 家徒四壁立.

How to use it

Predicate; negative, literary. 穷得家徒四壁.

Example sentences

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  1. 他小时候家徒四壁，连一张书桌都没有。
    Tā xiǎoshíhou jiā tú sì bì, lián yī zhāng shūzhuō dōu méiyǒu.
    When he was a child his family was destitute; they did not even have a desk.
    he childhood home only four wall, even one (measure) desk all not have
  2. 一场大火以后，这家人几乎家徒四壁。
    Yī chǎng dàhuǒ yǐhòu, zhè jiā rén jīhū jiā tú sì bì.
    After the big fire, the family was left with almost nothing.
    one (measure) big fire after, this family person almost home only four wall

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