吃土 chītǔ

吃土 chītǔ

VO. (Literal meaning is “eating dirt”)

It is used to describe someone who is broke or living a frugal lifestyle. It’s like saying “I’m so broke I can’t even afford to buy food, so I have to eat dirt instead!” Of course, no one is actually eating dirt, but it’s a humorous way to exaggerate the idea of being financially struggling.

So, if you ever hear a Chinese person say “我最近在吃土啊 wǒ zuìjìn zài chī tǔ a”, they’re probably jokingly complaining about being broke and living on a tight budget.

我wǒ買mǎi完wán機票jīpiào， 這個zhège月yuè就jiù得dé吃土chītǔ了le我wǒ买mǎi完wán机票jīpiào， 这个zhège月yuè就jiù得dé吃土chītǔ了le
After buying the plane ticket, I’ll have to eat dirt for the rest of the month.

你nǐ還hái可以kěyǐ吃chī蝦xiā， 哪像nǎxiàng我wǒ每個měige月yuè都dōu在zài吃土chītǔ你nǐ还hái可以kěyǐ吃chī虾xiā， 哪像nǎxiàng我wǒ每个měige月yuè都dōu在zài吃土chītǔ
You can still afford to eat shrimp, unlike me who has to eat dirt every month.

不能bùnéng再zài買mǎi了le！ 否則fǒuzé就jiù要yào吃土chītǔ了le不能bùnéng再zài买mǎi了le！ 否则fǒuzé就jiù要yào吃土chītǔ了le
I need to stop shopping, otherwise I’ll have to eat dirt.

Conversation

A: 欸èi！ 你nǐ今天jīntiān晚上wǎnshàng要不要yàobúyào一起yìqǐ去qù吃chī火鍋huǒguō？ 欸èi！ 你nǐ今天jīntiān晚上wǎnshàng要不要yàobúyào一起yìqǐ去qù吃chī火锅huǒguō？
Hey! Do you want to go eat hotpot together tonight?

B: 不要búyào不要búyào
No thanks.

A: 幹嘛gànmá不去búqù， 是說shìshuō你nǐ有yǒu看到kàndào今天jīntiān的de新聞xīnwén嗎ma？ 干嘛gānmá不去búqù， 是说shìshuō你nǐ有yǒu看到kàndào今天jīntiān的de新闻xīnwén吗ma？
Why not? By the way, have you seen the news today?

B: 什麼shénme新聞xīnwén？ 什么shénme新闻xīnwén？
What news?

A: 聽說tīngshuō有yǒu29% 的de人rén月底yuèdǐ都dōu得děi吃土chītǔ， 超chāo誇張kuāzhāng听说tīngshuō有yǒu29% 的de人rén月底yuèdǐ都dōu得děi吃土chītǔ， 超chāo夸张kuāzhāng
There are 29% of people eat dirt (has a really tight budget) at the end of the month, it’s crazy!

B: 是shì喔o是shì喔o
Ohh.

A: 你nǐ真的zhēnde不bú一起yìqǐ去qù吃chī火鍋huǒguō喔o？ 你nǐ今晚jīnwǎn要yào幹嘛gànmá？ 你nǐ真的zhēnde不bú一起yìqǐ去qù吃chī火锅huǒguō喔o？ 你nǐ今晚jīnwǎn要yào干嘛gānmá？
Are you really not going to eat hotpot? What are you planing to do tonight?

B: 吃土chītǔ！ 吃土chītǔ！
Eat dirt!

손가락을 빨다, 월급 로그아웃

동사

因為yīnwèi父親fùqīn事業shìyè失敗shībài， 現在xiànzài我們wǒmen一家yìjiā只zhǐ能néng吃土chītǔ了le因为yīnwèi父亲fùqīn事业shìyè失败shībài， 现在xiànzài我们wǒmen一家yìjiā只zhǐ能néng吃土chītǔ了le
아버지의 사업이 망해서 우리 가족은 이제 손가락만 빨게 되었다.

我wǒ要yào吃土chītǔ了le我wǒ要yào吃土chītǔ了le
월급님이 로그아웃하셨습니다.

すっからかん, 金欠

動詞

錢包qiánbāo空kōng了le， 要yào吃土chītǔ了le钱包qiánbāo空kōng了le， 要yào吃土chītǔ了le
お財布がすっからかんなんだ。

自從zìcóng買mǎi了le房子fángzi， 每天měitiān我wǒ都dōu在zài吃土chītǔ自从zìcóng买mǎi了le房子fángzi， 每天měitiān我wǒ都dōu在zài吃土chītǔ
家を買ってから、いつも金欠になっている。