Definition
倾家荡产 (qīng jiā dàng chǎn) is a four-character idiom meaning 'to lose one's entire family fortune' — it describes total financial ruin, often from a business failure, lawsuit, or addiction. It is more vivid and literary than plain verbs like 破产 (pòchǎn 'go bankrupt'), emphasizing the loss of everything a family owns.
phrase
to lose one's entire family fortuneto be cleaned out
Examples
- ，倾家荡产。Tā fùqin zuò shēngyi shībài, chà yìdiǎn qīng jiā dàng chǎn.His father's business failed and he nearly lost everything.
- 倾家荡产。Xīdú néng ràng yí gè rén qīng jiā dàng chǎn.Drug addiction can ruin a person and cost them all they have.
- 倾家荡产。Nà chǎng guānsi dǎ de tā qīng jiā dàng chǎn.That lawsuit fought him into total ruin.
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