English–Chinese
“support oneself” in Chinese
Chinese
Pronunciation
Pinyinzì shí qí lì
Example
她想早点自食其力。tā xiǎng záo diǎn zì shí qí lì
She wants to support herself soon.
How to say “support oneself” in Chinese
“Support oneself” in Chinese is 自食其力 (zì shí qí lì).
A life sustained by one's own work and abilities instead of another person's support.
Example sentences with 自食其力
年轻人应该努力自食其力，不要总靠父母。nián qīng rén yīng gāi nǔ lì zì shí qí lì bú yào zǒng kào fù mǔ
Young people should work hard to support themselves and not always rely on their parents.
Tips for using 自食其力
- Its four-character form gives it a formal, compact tone, so it fits careful speech and writing better than relaxed everyday chat.