●destitute a. （金錢衣食等生活資用不繼）窮困的
In space-starved countries, most destitute families have to live in cramped flats.
在土地嚴重不足的國家，大多數赤貧家庭都需要居住在狹小單位內。

●slender a. 微薄的
With his fortune dissipated, the black sheep reduced to what he was before: doing odd-jobs, earning slender income, eating frugal meal.
他家財散盡後，那敗家子打回原形：當數份散工、賺取微薄工資、每餐清茶淡飯。

●hand-to-mouth a. 僅足餬口
Her meager income just offsets family outgoings, she remains hand-to-mouth.
她的微薄薪金僅夠抵消家庭開支，故此她只能現掙現吃。

●eke out a living 餬口維生
Still in the red, the divorced mother ekes out a living by taking on several moonlighting.
那失婚母親負債累累，只得身兼多職，竭力維持生計。

●rub along 勉力維持
It's true that Heitor got a pay rise, but he can only rub along as everyday expenses are mounting.
沒錯海特是加薪了，但他僅可勉強應付生活所需，因日常開支都在增加。

●disposable income（扣除必要開支後）可供動用的工資
I still have a disposable income after defraying the heavy taxes.
繳過重稅後，我仍有餘下工資可用。

●starvation wages 極低工資
Remon grumbled at the starvation wages that are not commensurate with his postgraudate qualification, and he can't even make both ends meet.
雷蒙埋怨工資少得可憐，與他的研究生學歷不相稱，入不支出。

●subsistence wage 僅夠基本生活需用的工資
Evron only receives a subsistence wage, yet he always lives beyond it by lavishing money on luxuries.
埃榮的工資僅夠基本生活開支，卻常將錢揮霍在奢侈品上，弄得經常入不敷支。
  可見 "subsistence wage" 是剛好夠用而已，"disposable income" 使平日花用綽有餘裕，"starvation wages" 則只能讓人捉襟見肘了。