勤俭 勤儉 qín jiǎn adj. hardworking and frugal syn 省 shěng n., v. to save / to economize / to be frugal / to omit / to delete / to leave out / province / provincial capital / a ministry (of the Japanese government) syn 克勤克俭 克勤克儉 kè qín kè jiǎn to be industrious and frugal (idiom) syn 土阶茅屋 土階茅屋 tǔ jiē máo wū lit. earthen steps and a small cottage / frugal living conditions (idiom) 土阶茅茨 土階茅茨 tǔ jiē máo cí lit. earthen steps and a thatched hut / frugal living conditions (idiom) 枕岩漱流 zhěn yán shù liú to live a hermit's life (in seclusion) / a frugal life (idiom) / see 枕石漱流[zhen3 shi2 shu4 liu2] 枕石漱流 zhěn shí shù liú to live a hermit's life (in seclusion) / a frugal life (idiom) 㗂 shěng to save / to economize / to be frugal / to omit / to delete / to leave out / province / provincial capital / a ministry (of the Japanese government) / tight-lipped / to examine / to watch / to scour (esp. Cantonese) / variant of 省[sheng3] 俭学 儉學 jiǎn xué to be frugal so that one can pay for one's education 俭用 儉用 jiǎn yòng to economize / to be frugal 勤朴 勤樸 qín pǔ simple and industrious / hardworking and frugal 奢入俭难 奢入儉難 shē rù jiǎn nán it is hard to become frugal after becoming accustomed to luxury (idiom) 治丧从俭 治喪從儉 zhì sàng cóng jiǎn to be frugal in attending to funeral rites (idiom) 疏水箪瓢 疏水簞瓢 shū shuǐ dān piáo little water and few utensils / to live a frugal life (idiom) 别无长物 別無長物 bié wú cháng wù to possess nothing except bare necessities / to live a poor or frugal life syn 身无长物 身無長物 shēn wú cháng wù to possess nothing except bare necessities / to live a poor or frugal life syn 克勤克俭 克勤克儉 kè qín - kè jiǎn (idiom) industrious and frugal syn 穷家富路 窮家富路 qióng jiā fù lù (idiom) at home be frugal, but when traveling be prepared to spend 布被瓦器 bù bèi wǎ qì (idiom) A cloth quilt and earthenware vessels. It describes a simple and frugal way of life. 粗衣淡饭 cū yī dàn fàn (idiom) To lead a simple and frugal life, with plain food. 粗衣粝食 cū yī lì shí (idiom) To wear coarse clothes and eat plain rice. It describes a very frugal life and a lack of concern for material comforts. 恶衣粝食 è yī lì shí (idiom) To wear coarse clothes and eat roughly milled rice. It describes a simple, frugal way of life. 菲食薄衣 fěi shí bó yī (idiom) To live in plain clothes and eat coarse food. It describes a very simple and frugal way of life. 戒奢宁俭 jie she ning jian (idiom) It is better to be frugal than extravagant / excessive luxury should be rejected in favor of simplicity. 鹿裘不完 lù qiú bù wán (idiom) Describes a simple and frugal way of life. 茅茨土阶 máo cì tǔ jiē (idiom) A thatched roof and earthen steps. It describes a rudimentary dwelling or a simple, frugal way of life. 身无长处 身無長處 shēn wú cháng chù (idiom) Originally meant to possess nothing beyond oneself, suggesting a simple and frugal life. It now describes extreme poverty. 食不重味 shí bù chóng wèi (idiom) To eat only one dish at a meal / to live a simple and frugal life. 咬得菜根 yǎo dé cài gēn (idiom) Formerly referred to living in poverty while remaining true to one’s principles. Today it describes someone who accepts a hard and frugal life. 一无长物 一無長物 yī wú cháng wù (idiom) To possess nothing beyond oneself. The expression originally referred to a simple, frugal way of life / it now describes poverty or destitution. 坐不重席 zuò bù chóng xí (idiom) Not sitting on a double layer of matting. By extension, it describes a frugal and simple way of life. 一瓶一钵 yī píng yī bō (idiom) The very simple vessels a monk carries when traveling. By extension, a poor and frugal way of life with few possessions. 三百瓮齏 sān bǎi wèng jī (idiom) To live in poverty for a long time, subsisting on salted vegetables. It describes a persistently frugal and impoverished life. 三百瓮齑 sān bǎi wèng jī (idiom) To live for a long time on pickled vegetables, in severe poverty. The expression evokes a frugal and impoverished life. 俛拾仰取 fǔ shí yǎng qǔ (idiom) To pick up what is on the ground by lowering one’s head and take what is in the trees by raising it. Describes someone exceptionally industrious and frugal. 俭薄不充 儉薄不充 jiǎn bó bù chōng (idiom) To live an extremely frugal and impoverished life. 励志冰檗 lì zhì bīng bò (idiom) To strengthen one’s resolve while living in harsh and frugal conditions. It describes self-discipline in the face of hardship. 卑宫菲食 卑宮菲食 bēi gōng fěi shí (idiom) Refers to plain palaces and frugal food. In traditional usage, it praised a ruler's modest self-discipline and thrift. 咬菜根 yǎo cài gēn (idiom) Originally, to live in poverty while remaining true to one's principles. Today, it also means being content with a hard and frugal life. 啬己奉公 嗇己奉公 sè jǐ fèng gōng (idiom) To be frugal personally while devoting every effort to public affairs. 守约居穷 守約居窮 shǒu yuē jū qióng (idiom) To live a poor and frugal life. 官清毡冷 guān qīng guān lěng (idiom) Describes the hard life of an honest and frugal official. 居不重茵 jū bù chóng yīn (idiom) Not laying two mats or cushions beneath oneself / by extension, living a very frugal and simple life. 居穷守约 居窮守約 jū qióng shǒu yuē (idiom) To live in poverty while maintaining a simple and frugal way of life. 布衣疏食 bù yī shū shí (idiom) To wear plain cloth clothes and eat coarse grain. The expression describes a simple and frugal life, sometimes marked by poverty. 布裙荆钗 bù qún jīng chāi (idiom) A coarse-cloth skirt and a hairpin made of a thorny branch. In former times, it described the plain, frugal dress of women from poor families. 弊衣蔬食 bì yī shū shí (idiom) Worn clothes and coarse food. The expression refers to a poor and frugal way of life / it is synonymous with “worn clothes and meals from a simple bowl.” 恶衣菲食 è yī fēi shí (idiom) To wear coarse clothes and eat plain food. Describes a simple, frugal way of life. 恶衣蔬食 è yī shū shí (idiom) Coarse clothing and poor food. It describes a simple, frugal way of life. 恶衣薄食 è yī bó shí (idiom) To wear poor clothing and eat a frugal diet / to live a difficult and austere life. 插烛板床 chā zhú bǎn chuáng (idiom) Describes a very crude wooden candle holder. By extension, it refers to a frugal and upright way of life. 敝车羸马 敝車羸馬 bì chē léi mǎ (idiom) A dilapidated cart and a thin horse. It metaphorically refers to an honest, frugal life or to poor equipment. 斋居蔬食 zhāi jū shū shí (idiom) To live quietly at home on plain, simple food. It describes a frugal way of life. 晏婴之狐裘 晏嬰之狐裘 yàn yīng zhī hú qiú (idiom) Yan Ying wore the same fur coat for thirty years. The expression refers to a simple and frugal way of life. 更无长物 更無長物 gèng wú cháng wù (idiom) To possess nothing beyond one’s bare necessities. Originally describing a frugal life, it now commonly refers to extreme poverty. 村酒野蔬 cūn jiǔ yě shū (idiom) Wine made in the countryside and vegetables from the fields. It describes plain food and drink and a poor, frugal way of life. 瓦器蚌盘 瓦器蚌盤 wǎ qì bàng pán (idiom) A general term for crude eating utensils. By extension, it describes a simple and frugal way of life. 疏食饮水 shū shí yǐ shuǐ (idiom) To eat coarse food and drink water / to live on a simple and frugal diet. 监门之养 監門之養 jiān mén zhī yǎng (idiom) The clothing and food provided to a gatekeeper. By extension, a poor, difficult, and frugal way of life. 省吃细用 shěng chī xì yòng (idiom) To live simply and be frugal with food and daily expenses. It is equivalent to “be sparing in eating and spending.” 真独简贵 zhēn dú jiǎn guì (idiom) To remain cautious and self-disciplined when alone, and restrained and frugal after attaining wealth or status. 破衲疏羹 pò nà shū gēng (idiom) To live in worn clothes and eat simple food. It describes a plain, frugal way of life. 离蔬释躥 lí shū shì zhe (idiom) To leave a frugal diet and remove one’s wooden clogs, or, according to another interpretation, straw sandals. 箪瓢陋室 簞瓢陋室 dān piáo lòu shì (idiom) Describes a simple, frugal life, lived contentedly and faithfully to one’s principles despite poverty. 粗袍粝食 cū páo lì shí (idiom) Crude clothing and coarse food. Describes a simple, frugal way of life. 节食缩衣 節食縮衣 jié shí suō yī (idiom) To economize on food and clothing. It describes a frugal way of life. 茅室土阶 máo shì tǔ jiē (idiom) A thatched roof and earthen steps. It describes a crude dwelling or a simple, frugal way of life. 茅茨不翦 máo cí bù jiǎn (idiom) Describes a simple, frugal life in a rudimentary dwelling whose thatched roof has not been neatly trimmed. 菲衣恶食 fěi yī è shí (idiom) Simple clothing and plain, modest food. It describes a frugal and unadorned way of life. 葛屦履霜 葛屨履霜 gě jù lǚ shuāng (idiom) To wear summer shoes in winter. Figuratively, to be excessively frugal or stingy. 蔬食布衣 shū shí bù yī (idiom) To wear plain cloth and eat coarse grain. It describes a simple and frugal way of life. 谨行俭用 謹行儉用 jǐn xíng jiǎn yòng (idiom) To act cautiously and keep expenses down. It describes someone who is very frugal. 贫不学俭 貧不學儉 pín bù xué jiǎn (idiom) Poor people do not need to learn frugality: necessity forces them to be frugal. 退食从容 tuì shí cóng róng (idiom) Describes officials who are frugal and upright, with a calm and self-possessed bearing, making them worthy of emulation. 青灯黄卷 qīng dēng huáng juàn (idiom) The greenish light of an oil lamp and books with yellowing pages. By extension, it refers to a frugal and arduous life devoted to study. 韦裤布被 wéi kù bù bèi (idiom) Describes a very frugal life, with clothing and bedding made of coarse materials. 食不兼味 shí bù jiān wèi (idiom) To eat without having two different dishes. It describes a simple and frugal way of life and is synonymous with “not eating two different flavors.” 食不兼肉 shí bù jiān ròu (idiom) Not to serve two kinds of meat at the same meal. It describes a simple and frugal diet. 食不求甘 shí bù qiú gān (idiom) Not seeking refined or delicious food. It describes a simple and frugal way of life. 食不累味 shí bù lèi wèi (idiom) Not having two different dishes at a meal. It describes a simple and frugal way of life. 食不重肉 shí bù chóng ròu (idiom) Not eating two different meat dishes at a meal. It describes a frugal diet. 鹑居鷇饮 chún jú kòu yǐn (idiom) Describes a simple, frugal way of life without a pursuit of comfort or unnecessary pleasures. 黄汤淡水 黃湯淡水 huáng tāng dàn shuǐ (idiom) Refers generally to food and drink, often in the context of a simple or frugal daily life. 