Definition
油盐酱醋 literally names the four basic cooking condiments — oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar — but as a set phrase it's used metaphorically to mean 'the daily necessities of life' or 'the mundane essentials of everyday living'. It's a fixed four-character expression (chengyu-like) that you'll encounter in writing or speech about household routines, not a literal shopping list.
n.
the four basic cooking condiments (oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar)(metaphorical) the daily necessities of lifethe mundane essentials of everyday living
Examples
- 油盐酱醋。Jiālǐ yóu yán jiàng cù zhèxiē jīběn tiáoliào dōu bèi qí le.All the basic condiments — oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar — are ready at home.
- 油盐酱醋。Guò rìzi lí bù kāi yóu yán jiàng cù zhèxiē chái mǐ yóu yán.Daily life can't do without these everyday necessities like oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.
- 油盐酱醋。Tā xiě de wénzhāng chōngmǎn le yóu yán jiàng cù de yānhuǒ qì.His writing is full of the earthy flavor of daily life.
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