滾水淥豬腸

Chinese
to boil; to roll water; river clear (water); strain liquids hog; pig; swine intestines
trad. (滾水淥豬腸) 滾 水 淥 豬 腸
simp. (滚水渌猪肠) 滚 水 渌 猪 肠
Literally: “a pig intestine cooked with boiling water”.

Etymology

A piece of pork intestine shrinks on both sides when it is cooked with boiling water, and is used as a metaphor for decrease in income and expense.

Pronunciation

Idiom

滾水淥豬腸

  1. (Cantonese) Used to describe the situation when someone has to control his/her expenses due to decrease in income.
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