苟延残喘

Traditional form:

苟延殘喘

Pinyin (reading):

gǒuyáncánchuǎn

Definitions:

• to struggle on whilst at death's door (idiom)

Characters:

• 苟 - careless, frivolous, illicit; but, if only
• 延 - to defer, to delay, to postpone; to extend, to prolong; surname
• 残 - to injure, to ruin, to spoil; cruel, oppressive, savage; disabled, incomplete
• 喘 - to pant, to gasp, to breathe heavily

Traditional characters:

• 苟 - careless, frivolous, illicit; but, if only
• 延 - to defer, to delay, to postpone; to extend, to prolong; surname
• 殘 - to injure, to ruin, to spoil; cruel, oppressive, savage; disabled, incomplete
• 喘 - to pant, to gasp, to breathe heavily