聊生 [－－]

Jyutping liu4 sang1
Pinyin liáo shēng

Definitions (CC-CEDICT)
  1. to earn a living (esp. with negative)
Definitions (Wiktionary)
  1. verb, in the negative, literary
    to (be able to) keep a living
Definitions (Kaifangcidian)
  1. （沒有對應漢語詞彙）
Examples (粵典–words.hk)
  1. Cantonese
    香港地产霸权好严重，啲小商户又做唔住，仲搞到啲嘢鬼咁贵，真系民不聊生呀依家。
    香港地產霸權好嚴重，啲小商户又做唔住，仲搞到啲嘢鬼咁貴，真係民不聊生呀依家。
    hoeng1 gong2 dei6 caan2 baa3 kyun4 hou2 jim4 zung6, di1 siu2 soeng1 wu6 jau6 zou6 m4 zyu6, zung6 gaau2 dou3 di1 je5 gwai2 gam3 gwai3, zan1 hai6 man4 bat1 liu4 sang1 aa3 ji1 gaa1.
    • The dominance of the real estate sector is so severe, the small businesses can no longer survive, and everything is so pricey, that it makes our lives so hard now.
  2. Cantonese
    秦朝法令严苛，民不聊生。
    秦朝法令嚴苛，民不聊生。
    ceon4 ciu4 faat3 ling6 jim4 ho1, man4 bat1 liu4 saang1
    • People suffered greatly under the harsh law codes during the Chun Dynasty.
  3. Cantonese
    为官无道，搞到民不聊生，平民起义都系为势所逼。
    為官無道，搞到民不聊生，平民起義都係為勢所逼。
    wai4 gun1 mou4 dou6, gaau2 dou3 man4 bat1 liu4 sang1, ping4 man4 hei2 ji6 dou1 hai6 wai4 sai3 so2 bik1.
    • As officials are unjust and make people live hard, people are forced to launch uprisings.
Examples (Wiktionary)
  1. Mandarin
    民不聊生
    民不聊生
    mín bù liáo shēng
    • the masses live in dire poverty
  2. Mandarin
    清朝末年是一个乱世，列强环伺，民不聊生。
    清朝末年是一個亂世，列強環伺，民不聊生。
    qīng cháo mò nián shì yī ge luàn shì ， liè qiáng huán sì ， mín bù liáo shēng ．
    • The final years of the Qing dynasty were chaotic times. The great powers surrounded and watched [the country], and the masses were destitute.