赤貧如洗 chì pín rú xǐ

DEFINITIONS

  1. without two nickels to rub together (idiom)
  2. impoverished

CHARACTERS

赤 chì red; communist, 'red'; bare
貧 pín poor, impoverished, needy
如 rú if, supposing; as if; like, as
洗 xǐ wash, rinse; clean, purify