捉襟见肘 hard up
Explanation
拉拉衣襟，就露出胳膊肘。形容衣服破烂，也比喻顾此失彼，穷于应付。
Pulling at one's collar reveals one's elbows. Describes ragged clothes, also the inability to cope with everything.
Origin Story
春秋时期，孔子的弟子曾参隐居不仕，过着简朴的生活。他住在卫国，由于长期劳作，衣衫褴褛，常常是捉襟见肘。一天，曾参去拜访一位朋友，朋友见他衣着破旧，便劝他换身新衣。曾参却说："我身无长物，哪有闲钱置办新衣呢？况且，我心安理得，即使衣衫褴褛，也无愧于心。"
During the Spring and Autumn period, Zeng Shen, a disciple of Confucius, lived a simple life. Residing in the state of Wei, he was often seen wearing tattered clothes due to years of hard work, and frequently found himself in a situation of "zhuō jīn jiàn zhǒu". One day, Zeng Shen visited a friend. Upon seeing his worn-out clothes, the friend urged him to purchase new ones. However, Zeng Shen replied: "I have no possessions, and I lack the funds to procure new clothes. Besides, my conscience is clear, even in my threadbare clothing I feel no shame.
Usage
常用来形容贫困或经济窘迫。
Often used to describe poverty or financial distress.
Examples
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他捉襟见肘，生活过得非常艰难。
ta zhuō jīn jiàn zhǒu, shenghuo guò de fēicháng jiānnán。
He is hard up and his life is very difficult.
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公司资金紧张，捉襟见肘，难以应对市场竞争。
gōngsī zījīn jǐnzhāng, zhuō jīn jiàn zhǒu, nán yì yìngduì shìchǎng jìngzhēng。
The company is short of funds and is struggling to compete in the market.