三旬九食 sān xún jiǔ shí

in dire straits

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. in dire straits
  2. 2. fig. (of a family) on the brink of starvation
  3. 3. lit. to have only nine meals in thirty days (idiom)

Characters

Character Meaning
三 sān HSK 1
three; 3; surname San
旬 xún HSK 5
ten days; full period; ten years
九 jiǔ HSK 1
nine; 9
食 shí HSK 5
to eat; food; animal feed