寅吃卯粮
yín chī mǎo liáng
to spend next year’s income in advance; to live beyond one’s means
Character by character
寅yín
Tiger year
Tiger year
吃chī
eat
eat
卯mǎo
Rabbit year
Rabbit year
粮liáng
grain
grain
Example
他每个月还没发工资，信用卡就刷爆了，过着寅吃卯粮的日子。
Every month his credit card is maxed out before his wages arrive: he is always spending money he has not earned yet.
Tone: negative (criticism).
Usage and origin
寅 and 卯 are the third and fourth of the twelve Earthly Branches, and so two years in a row: eating in the year of 寅 the grain meant for the year of 卯. Said of households, firms and local governments that live on borrowed or future money.
Learn this in Lesson 70 · HSK 6: 楼市的转折 (The property market turns)
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