糊口(ここう)

ここう
noun
making a living; livelihood; scraping by
formalmoney
1. making a living; livelihood; scraping by
A literary term for earning just enough to survive. Literally 'pasting the mouth shut' — having just enough food to eat. Often implies a meager or modest existence.
糊口(ここう)を凌(しの)ぐ。
To eke out a living.
翻訳(ほんやく)の仕事(しごと)で糊口(ここう)を凌(しの)いでいる。
I'm scraping by with translation work.
若(わか)いころは日雇(ひやと)い労働(ろうどう)で糊口(ここう)を凌(しの)いだ時期(じき)もあった。
When I was young, there were times I got by doing day labor.

Usage

Almost always used in the set phrase 糊口(ここう)を凌(しの)ぐ (to eke out a living). A literary and somewhat old-fashioned expression. The character 糊(こ) means "paste" or "gruel," evoking the image of having barely enough thin porridge to feed oneself.

Common collocations

  • 糊口(ここう)を凌(しの)ぐ (to eke out a living)
  • 糊口(ここう)の資(し) (means of livelihood)

Similar words

  • 生計(せいけい): livelihood — a neutral, modern term for earning a living
  • 食(く)いつなぐ: to keep oneself fed, to scrape by — a colloquial verb with a similar meaning

Related Words

Compare: 生計(せいけい) (livelihood)
general
Added 2026.3.22 18:03 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
18500/18583_kokou