雞骨支床

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See also: 鸡骨支床

Chinese

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chicken bone; skinny, bony body; gaunt figure
(a measure word); to support; to sustain
(a measure word); to support; to sustain; to erect; to raise; branch; division; to draw money
 
bed; couch; (a measure word)
trad. (雞骨支床/雞骨支牀) 雞骨 /
simp. (鸡骨支床) 鸡骨

Etymology

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The original meaning was that, when relatives died, people would grieve excessively and become thin and weary on sleeping mats. Later used by analogy to mean that people could finish their filial duty if they attended their parents' funeral(s). Also means "very thin".

Pronunciation

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Idiom

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雞骨支床

  1. very thin; gaunt; emaciated