衣不遮身 Yī bù zhē shēn Clothes don't cover the body

Explanation

形容衣服破烂，连身子都遮盖不住。形容生活贫苦。

Describes clothes that are tattered and do not even cover the body. Describes a life of poverty.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，有个叫李白的诗人，他虽然才华横溢，名扬天下，但生活却十分困苦。一次，他路过一个村庄，看到一位老农在田里辛勤劳作。老农衣不遮身，面容憔悴，李白不禁动了恻隐之心，于是上前询问老农的困境。老农叹了一口气，说道：“家中老母年迈体弱，儿子又体弱多病，家中更是颗粒无收，我每日辛劳耕作，所得微薄，连温饱都难以解决，更别提置办新衣了。如今，这寒冬将至，我担心老母和儿子会被冻坏。”李白听后，心中甚是难过，他深知老农的苦衷，便解下身上仅有的几两银子，赠予老农，并鼓励他坚持下去，并许诺日后定会再来看望。老农感激涕零，千恩万谢，李白望着老农远去的背影，心中感慨万千。他知道，这衣不遮身，食不果腹的生活，是许多贫苦百姓的真实写照，也更加坚定了他为百姓发声，为国家昌盛而努力的决心。

huà shuō táng cháo shí qī, yǒu gè jiào lǐ bái de shī rén, tā suīrán cái huá héng yí, míng yáng tiān xià, dàn shēnghuó què shífēn kùnkǔ. yī cì, tā lù guò yīgè cūn zhuāng, kàn dào yī wèi lǎo nóng zài tián lǐ xīn qín láo zuò. lǎo nóng yī bù zhē shēn, miàn róng qiáo cuì, lǐ bái bù jīn dòng cè yǐn zhī xīn, yú shì shàng qián xún wèn lǎo nóng de kùnjìng. lǎo nóng tàn le yī kǒu qì, shuō dào: ‘jiā zhōng lǎo mǔ nián mài tǐ ruò, ér zǐ yòu tǐ ruò duō bìng, jiā zhōng gèng shì kē lì wú shōu, wǒ měi rì xīn láo gēng zuò, suǒ dé wēi bó, lián wēn bǎo dōu nán yǐ jiě jué, gèng bié tí zhì bàn xīn yī le. rú jīn, zhè hán dōng jiāng zhì, wǒ dān xīn lǎo mǔ hé ér zǐ huì bèi dòng huài.’ lǐ bái tīng hòu, xīn zhōng shèn shì nán guò, tā shēn zhī lǎo nóng de kǔ zhōng, biàn jiě xià shēn shàng jǐn yǒu de jǐ liǎng yín zi, zèng yǔ lǎo nóng, bìng gǔ lì tā jiān chí xià qù, bìng xǔ nuò rì hòu dìng huì zài lái kàn wàng. lǎo nóng gǎn jī tì líng, qiān ēn wàn xiè, lǐ bái wàng zhe lǎo nóng yuǎn qù de bèi yǐng, xīn zhōng gǎn kǎi wàn qiān. tā zhī dào, zhè yī bù zhē shēn, shí bù guǒ fù de shēnghuó, shì xǔ duō pín kǔ bǎi xìng de zhēn shí xiě zhào, yě gèng jiā jiāndìng le tā wèi bǎi xìng fā shēng, wèi guójiā chāng shèng ér nǔ lì de jué xīn.

During the Tang Dynasty, there was a poet named Li Bai, who, despite his extraordinary talent and fame throughout the land, lived in extreme poverty. Once, while passing through a village, he saw an old farmer toiling diligently in the fields. The farmer was poorly clothed, his face gaunt and weary. Li Bai's heart was moved with compassion, and he approached to inquire about the farmer's plight. The old farmer sighed and said, “My elderly mother is frail and weak, my son is also sickly, and our harvest has failed. I work hard in the fields every day, but my earnings are meager; I can barely feed my family, let alone afford new clothes. Now, winter is approaching, and I fear for my mother and son lest they freeze to death.” Li Bai, upon hearing this, was deeply saddened. He understood the farmer's plight and untied the few silver coins he possessed, gifting them to the farmer and encouraging him to persevere. He promised to visit again in the future. The farmer, overcome with gratitude, thanked him profusely. Li Bai watched the farmer walk away, filled with emotion. He knew that this life of poverty and hunger was the reality for many impoverished people, and this further strengthened his resolve to speak out for the people and work towards national prosperity.

Usage

用于形容生活贫困，衣着破烂。

yòng yú xíngróng shēnghuó pínkùn, yīzhuó pòlàn

Used to describe a poor life and tattered clothing.

Examples

• 他家境贫寒，衣不遮身，生活十分艰难。

  tā jiā jìng pín hàn, yī bù zhē shēn, shēnghuó shífēn jiānnán

  His family is poor, and he is poorly clothed, living a very difficult life.

• 逃荒途中，许多人衣不遮身，饥寒交迫。

  táo huāng tú zhōng, xǔ duō rén yī bù zhē shēn, jī hán jiāo pò

  On the way to escape the famine, many people were poorly clothed and suffered from hunger and cold

Related Idioms

• 衣衫褴褛

• 赤贫

• 穷困潦倒

Opposite Idioms

• 锦衣玉食

• 富裕