倾家荡产

傾家蕩產

qīngjiā-dàngchǎn

idiom HSK 7 #19,236

Meanings

1 to lose one's entire fortune
2 to go bankrupt; to be ruined financially

Characters

to topple; to pour out

family; household

to sweep away; to squander

property; assets

Literally 'topple the household, sweep away the property' — total financial ruin.

Examples

赌博让他倾家荡产。

Dǔbó ràng tā qīngjiā-dàngchǎn.

Gambling left him completely bankrupt.

为了治病，他们几乎倾家荡产。

Wèile zhìbìng, tāmen jīhū qīngjiā-dàngchǎn.

They nearly lost everything paying for medical treatment.

Tips

usage

倾家荡产 is dramatic and emphatic — use it when someone loses EVERYTHING, not just some money. The most common triggers in Chinese media: gambling (赌博), scams (诈骗), failed investments, and catastrophic illness.

Stroke Order

倾 qīng

家 jiā

荡 dàng

产 chǎn