ölmey-qalmay jaşarğa

/ølmej-qalmaj dʒaʃarʁa/

Literal translation

to live neither dying nor staying alive

Intended meaning

To support oneself only with great hardship; to get by on the edge of destitution.
  • Aç-toq bola, saw üydegini asıraysız, ölmey-qalmay jaşaybız.Going hungry one day and fed the next, you keep a whole household; we scrape by barely alive.

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