倾家荡产

傾家蕩產

qīngjiā-dàngchǎn

idiom HSK 7-9 #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 qīngjiādàngchǎn.

Gambling left him completely bankrupt.

为了治病，他们几乎倾家荡产。

Wèile zhìbìng, tāmen jīhū qīngjiādàngchǎn.

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