倾家荡产

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: qīng jiā dàng chǎn
• English Translation: To lose one's entire fortune (to go bankrupt)
• Idiom Composition: 「倾」（To tilt, pour out, or empty）＋「家」（Family or household estate）＋「荡」（To wash away, clear out, or dissipate）＋「产」（Property, assets, or estate）
• Meaning: To lose or spend all of one's family property and assets, becoming completely penniless. It describes a state of total financial ruin, whether caused by misfortune, reckless behavior, or a selfless sacrifice for a greater cause.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「倾家荡产」 contains the following nuances:

• Total Loss: By combining the strong verbs 倾 (qīng - to pour out) and 荡 (dàng - to wash away), the idiom emphasizes a thorough state where not a single cent is left.
• Diverse Causes: It is not limited to self-inflicted ruin like gambling; it can also apply to medical expenses, business failures, or self-sacrifice to help others.

3. Usage

「倾家荡产」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Negative Context (Waste or Failure): Used to describe ruin caused by gambling, investment scams, or profligate living, often in a critical or lamenting tone.
  • Example:「他沉迷于赌博，没过几年就倾家荡产了。」
    （He became obsessed with gambling and lost his entire fortune within a few years.）
• Positive or Tragic Context (Sacrifice or Determination): Used to praise or sympathize with someone willing to sacrifice everything for a noble cause, such as saving a life or a revolutionary goal.
  • Example:「为了给孩子治病，这对父母不惜倾家荡产。」
    （To cure their child's illness, these parents are willing to spend every penny they own.）

Additional Examples:

1. 那场突如其来的大火让他一夜之间倾家荡产。
   （That sudden fire caused him to lose everything overnight.）
2. 许多投资者因轻信谣言而倾家荡产。
   （Many investors went bankrupt because they easily believed rumors.）
3. 哪怕是倾家荡产，我也要还清这笔债。
   （Even if I have to lose my entire fortune, I will pay off this debt.）
4. 如果不改掉挥霍的毛病，你迟早会倾家荡产。
   （If you don't fix your habit of squandering money, you will go broke sooner or later.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Intensity of Expression: This is a very strong term. It doesn't just mean being poor; it describes the dramatic transition from having assets to having 'zero'.
• Historical Context: Similar expressions like 倾家竭产 (qīng jiā jié chǎn) appear in classics like the Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志). In traditional Chinese culture, where maintaining the family estate was a primary duty, losing it was considered a catastrophic event.
• Modern Usage: Today, it is often used similarly to 砸锅卖铁 (zá guō mài tiě), which literally means 'smashing the pots and selling the iron,' highlighting a person's extreme resolve to do something regardless of the financial cost.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 一贫如洗 (yī pín rú xǐ): Extremely poor, as if everything has been washed clean.
  • 两手空空 (liǎng shǒu kōng kōng): Empty-handed; having gained nothing or lost everything.
  • 一无所有 (yī wú suǒ yǒu): To have absolutely nothing.link
  • 不名一文 (bù míng yī wén): Having not a penny to one's name; penniless.link
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 发家致富 (fā jiā zhì fù): To build up a family fortune and become rich.
  • 日进斗金 (rì jìn dǒu jīn): To earn a peck of gold every day; making a huge profit.
  • 功成名就 (gōng chéng míng jiù): To achieve success and fame.link
  • 飞黄腾达 (fēi huáng téng dá): To have a meteoric rise in one's career or social status.link

6. Summary

倾家荡产 (qīng jiā dàng chǎn) is a powerful idiom meaning to lose everything one owns. While often used negatively to describe ruin through gambling or poor investments, it can also convey a tragic or heroic determination to achieve a goal at any cost. It literally suggests 'tilting' the house and 'washing away' the assets until nothing remains.