民 不 聊 生

mínbùliáoshēng

(idiom) the people have no way to make a living (from Records of the Grand Historian 史记 (Shǐ jì))

Meaning

mínbùliáoshēngmin2 bu4 liao2 sheng1

(idiom) the people have no way to make a living (from Records of the Grand Historian 史记 Shǐ jì)

5 strokes

4 strokes

11 strokes

5 strokes

mín · citizens, subjects; a nation's people

Radical 民 · 5 strokes · Parts 巳戈

Ideographic: An eye 巳 pierced by a dagger 戈, an old mark of slavery

bù · no, not, un-; negative prefix

Radical 一 · 4 strokes

Ideographic: A bird flying toward the sky 一

liáo · somewhat, slightly, at least

Radical 耳 · 11 strokes · Parts 耳卯

Pictophonetic: ear

shēng · life, lifetime; birth; growth

Radical 生 · 5 strokes · Parts 一土

Ideographic: A shoot 屮 growing in the soil 土

Glyphs: Wikimedia Commons, public domain.