Tā tóngnián shí jiālǐ quēyīshǎoshí, chīle bùshǎo kǔ.
In his childhood his family was destitute, and he suffered a lot.
Tips
history
Recorded in Ming-era writer Li Zhi's 《焚书·复李渐老书》(Burning Books — Reply to Li Jianlao). The four characters literally read 'lacking (缺) clothing (衣), short on (少) food (食),' covering the two most basic survival needs.
usage
Often used in narratives about hardship — wars, famine, or rough childhoods. A near-synonym is 缺食无衣 (quēshíwúyī), with the same meaning but the 食/衣 order reversed.
