省吃俭用 save and scrimp
Explanation
形容生活简朴，吃用节俭。
Describes a simple, frugal life.
Origin Story
从前，有个叫小明的穷苦孩子，他的父母都是老实巴交的农民，家中仅靠几亩薄田维持生计。为了让小明读书，父母省吃俭用，每日三餐只有粗茶淡饭，衣裳也是打了补丁再打补丁。冬天来了，寒风凛冽，小明常常冻得瑟瑟发抖，但父母仍然坚持省吃俭用，把仅有的钱都用来给小明买书和笔墨纸砚。小明非常懂事，他看到父母的辛苦，更加努力学习，终于考上了城里的大学。大学毕业后，小明找到了一份好工作，他并没有忘记父母的恩情，他努力工作，用自己的收入改善了家里的生活条件。小明的故事告诉我们，只要我们勤劳肯干，省吃俭用，就一定能够过上幸福的生活。
Once upon a time, there was a poor child named Xiaoming. His parents were honest farmers, and their family relied on a few acres of land for their livelihood. In order to send Xiaoming to school, his parents lived frugally, eating only simple meals and wearing patched-up clothes. In winter, Xiaoming often shivered from the cold, but his parents persisted in their frugality, using their meager savings to buy Xiaoming books and stationery. Xiaoming was very sensible. Seeing his parents' hardships, he studied even harder, and eventually got into a university in the city. After graduating from university, Xiaoming found a good job. He never forgot his parents' kindness, and he worked hard to improve his family's living conditions. Xiaoming's story tells us that as long as we work hard and live frugally, we can certainly live a happy life.
Usage
用于描写一个人生活简朴，节衣缩食。
Used to describe someone who lives a simple life and saves money.
Examples
-
老两口一辈子省吃俭用，终于攒够了钱给儿子买了房。
lǎoliǎngkǒu yībèizi shěngchījǐnyòng, zōngyú zàngougòule qián gěi érzi mǎile fáng.
The old couple saved and scrimped their whole lives, finally saving enough money to buy a house for their son.
-
为了孩子的教育，他们省吃俭用，从不乱花钱。
wèile háizi de jiàoyù, tāmen shěngchījǐnyòng, cóngbù luàn huāqián.
For their child's education, they lived frugally and never spent money carelessly.