瘦骨伶仃 shòu gǔ líng dīng thin and bony

Explanation

形容人或动物瘦得皮包骨的样子。

Describes a person or animal that is very thin and bony.

Origin Story

寒冬腊月，西北风呼啸着，卷起漫天飞雪。一个小村庄里，住着一位名叫阿福的老农。他一生勤劳，却因为连年歉收，家境贫寒。如今，他瘦骨伶仃，衣服破旧，脸上布满了深深的皱纹，眼神里却透着一种坚韧不拔的精神。他每天仍然坚持下地劳作，虽然步履蹒跚，但他对生活的热爱从未减退。村里人都敬佩他那不屈不挠的精神。一天，村长路过阿福家，看到他如此瘦弱，不禁心疼起来。他走到阿福身边，轻轻拍了拍他的肩膀，说：“阿福，你这样下去不行啊，你的身体太弱了。”阿福笑了笑，说：“村长，我没事，我已经习惯了。”村长知道劝说不动他，只能默默地离开。虽然生活艰辛，但阿福依然乐观向上，他相信，只要坚持下去，总会有好日子到来的。

hán dōng là yuè, xī běi fēng hū xiào zhe, juǎn qǐ màn tiān fēi xuě. yīgè xiǎo cūn zhuāng lǐ, zhù zhe yī wèi míng jiào ā fú de lǎo nóng. tā yī shēng qín láo, què yīnwèi lián nián qiàn shōu, jiā jìng pín hán. rú jīn, tā shòu gǔ líng dīng, yī fú pò jiù, liǎn shang bù mǎn le shēn shēn de zhōu wén, yǎn shén lǐ què tòu zhe yī zhǒng jiān rèn bù bá de jīng shén. tā měi tiān réng rán jiān chí xià dì láo zuò, suīrán bù lǚ pán shān, dàn tā duì shēng huó de rè'ài cóng wèi jiǎn tuì. cūn lǐ rén dōu jìng pèi tā nà bù qū bù náo de jīng shén. yī tiān, cūn zhǎng lù guò ā fú jiā, kàn dào tā rú cǐ shòu ruò, bù jīn xīn téng qǐ lái. tā zǒu dào ā fú shēn biān, qīng qīng pā le pāi tā de jiān bǎng, shuō: “ā fú, nǐ zhèyàng xià qù bù xíng a, nǐ de shēn tǐ tài ruò le.” ā fú xiào le xiào, shuō: “cūn zhǎng, wǒ méi shì, wǒ yǐjīng xí guàn le.” cūn zhǎng zhī dào quàn shuō bù dòng tā, zhǐ néng mò mò de lí kāi. suīrán shēng huó jiān xīn, dàn ā fú yīrán lè guān xiàng shàng, tā xiāngxìn, zhǐ yào jiān chí xià qù, zǒng huì yǒu hǎo rì zi dào lái de.

In the cold winter months, a bitter north wind howled, carrying snow. In a small village, there lived an old farmer named A Fu. He had worked hard all his life, but due to consecutive years of poor harvests, his family was impoverished. Now, he was thin and bony, his clothes ragged, his face covered in deep wrinkles, yet his eyes held an unyielding spirit. He still persisted in working the fields every day, though his steps were slow and unsteady, his love for life never diminished. The villagers admired his indomitable spirit. One day, the village chief passed A Fu's home and saw his weakened state, feeling pity. He approached A Fu, gently patted his shoulder, and said, “A Fu, this can't continue, your body is too weak.” A Fu smiled and said, “Chief, I'm fine, I've grown accustomed to it.” The chief, knowing he couldn't persuade him, silently left. Despite the hardships, A Fu remained optimistic, believing that as long as he persisted, better days would surely come.

Usage

用于描写人或动物消瘦的样子，常带有孤单、凄凉的意味。

yòng yú miáoxiě rén huò dòngwù xiāoshòu de yàngzi, cháng dài yǒu gūdān, qīliáng de yìwèi.

Used to describe the thin appearance of a person or animal, often with a sense of loneliness and desolation.

Examples

• 路边一个瘦骨伶仃的乞丐伸出手向路人要钱。

  lù biān yīgè shòu gǔ líng dīng de qǐgai shēn chū shǒu xiàng lùrén yào qián

  A skinny beggar on the roadside held out his hand to ask for money from passersby.

• 那匹瘦骨伶仃的马无力地低下了头。

  nà pǐ shòu gǔ líng dīng de mǎ wúlì de dīxià le tóu

  The skinny horse lowered its head weakly

Related Idioms

• 瘦骨零丁

• 皮包骨

Opposite Idioms

• 膘肥体壮

• 肥头大耳