入不敷出

rù bù fū chū

spending more than you earn

Character by character

入rù
income

不bù
not

敷fū
cover

出chū
outgo

房租一涨，他每个月都入不敷出。

Since the rent went up, he's been in the red every month.

Tone: neutral.

敷 = be enough. Opposite: 量入为出.

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