裤腰带

褲腰帶

kùyāodài

noun #31,281

Measure Word

一条裤腰带 tiáo

Meanings

1 belt (for trousers)
2 waistband

Characters

Examples

他瘦了，得把裤腰带勒紧一格。

Tā shòu le, děi bǎ kùyāodài lēi jǐn yī gé.

He's lost weight; he needs to tighten his belt by one notch.

经济不景气，大家都得勒紧裤腰带过日子。

Jīngjì bù jǐngqì, dàjiā dōu děi lēi jǐn kùyāodài guò rìzi.

With the economy down, everyone has to tighten their belts.

Tips

usage

勒紧裤腰带 lēi jǐn kùyāodài ('tighten the belt') is the exact same metaphor as in English — cutting back, eating less, getting through hard times. Heard everywhere from family budgets to government speeches. The neutral synonym 皮带 pídài 'leather belt' is just the object; 裤腰带 carries the idiomatic punch.

Stroke Order

裤 kù

腰 yāo

带 dài