看菜吃饭，量体裁衣 in English kan1 cai4 chi1 fan4 , liang2 ti3 cai2 yi1 Meaning

Meanings

  • eat depending on the dish, cut cloth according to the body (idiomatic expression); to fit the appetite to the dishes and the dress to the figure
  • to act according to actual circumstances
  • to live within one's means

Simplified Characters

看 菜 吃 饭 ， 量 体 裁 衣

Traditional Characters

看 菜 吃 飯 ， 量 體 裁 衣

Pinyin

kan1 cai4 chi1 fan4 , liang2 ti3 cai2 yi1

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

看kan4to look after 菜cai4dish (type of food) 吃chi1to eat 饭fan4cooked rice ， 量liang4to measure 体ti3body 裁cai2to cut out (as a dress) 衣yi1clothes