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一貧如洗

简一贫如洗 · 繁一貧如洗

Mandarin · pinyin yī pín rú xǐ

(idiom) penniless; destitute

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Characters in this entry

一: yī · one; a, an; alone
貧: Look up this written character
如: rú · if, supposing; as if; like, as
洗: xǐ · wash, rinse; clean, purify
贫: pín · poor, impoverished, needy

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

1–2–2–3 · yi1 pin2 ru2 xi3

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

一貧如洗 · find source passages ↗ · 一贫如洗 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

jat1 pan4 jyu4 sai2

Cantonese word readings for 一貧如洗. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(simile) poor as a church mouse; penniless

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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