捉襟见肘

النطق: zhuō jīn jiàn zhǒu المعنى الحرفي: Pulling collar reveals elbows

الأصل والاستخدام

This idiom describes clothing so worn that pulling (捉) the collar (襟) reveals (见) the elbows (肘). The vivid image of poverty - clothes so tattered they cannot cover the body - originated in historical descriptions of destitute scholars. The phrase evolved to describe any situation of severe shortage where resources are insufficient to cover basic needs. Modern usage commonly describes tight budgets, understaffing, or any situation where demands exceed available resources.

متى تستخدم

الموقف: The budget constraints left the department financially stretched.

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