升斗小民 shēng dǒu xiǎo mín

DEFINITIONS

  1. poor people (idiom)
  2. those who live from hand to mouth

CHARACTERS

升 shēng arise, go up; hoist; advance
斗 dǒu Chinese peck; liquid measure
小 xiǎo small, tiny, insignificant
民 mín people, subjects, citizens