量體裁衣 liáng tǐ cái yī

act to fit real needs; live within your means

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. lit. measure the body then tailor the suit (idiom); fig. to act according to actual circumstances
  2. 2. To live within one's means.

Characters

Character Meaning
量 liáng HSK 4
quantity; amount; capacity
體 tǐ
body; form; style
裁 cái HSK 5
to cut; to reduce; to cut back (e.g. on staff)
衣 yī HSK 1
clothes; Kangxi radical 145; to wear