Usage note
穷表示没有很多钱或东西，生活简单。
Qióng biǎoshì méiyǒu hěnduō qián huò dōngxi, shēnghuó jiǎndān.
Poor means not having much money or things, living simply.
Context note
虽然他家很穷，但他总是很开心，因为他有很多朋友。
Suīrán tā jiā hěn qióng, dàn tā zǒngshì hěn kāixīn, yīnwèi tā yǒu hěnduō péngyou.
Although his family is poor, he is always happy because he has many friends.
5 examples
他以前很穷，现在好多了。
tā yǐ qián hěn qióng， xiàn zài hǎo duō le。
He used to be poor, but now it's much better.
穷的人也可以很快乐。
qióng de rén yě kě yǐ hěn kuài lè。
Poor people can also be very happy.
他们帮助穷人家。
tā men bāng zhù qióng rén jiā。
They help poor families.
我不怕穷，只要健康就好。
wǒ bú pà qióng， zhǐ yào jiàn kāng jiù hǎo。
I am not afraid of being poor, as long as I am healthy.
这个故事讲一个穷孩子。
zhè ge gù shì jiǎng yí gè qióng hái zi。
This story is about a poor child.
5 mini stories
有一个穷男孩，他每天帮妈妈干活。他很快乐。
yǒu yí gè qióng nán hái， tā měi tiān bāng mā ma gàn huó。 tā hěn kuài lè。
There was a poor boy who helped his mom work every day. He was very happy.
穷女孩用树叶做玩具。她玩得很开心。
qióng nǚ hái yòng shù yè zuò wán jù。 tā wán dé hěn kāi xīn。
The poor girl made toys with leaves. She had a lot of fun.
小动物们帮助穷兔子。穷兔子有了新家。
xiǎo dòng wù men bāng zhù qióng tù zi。 qióng tù zi yǒu le xīn jiā。
The little animals helped the poor rabbit. The poor rabbit got a new home.
穷人家种了很多菜。他们吃得很健康。
qióng rén jiā zhǒng le hěn duō cài。 tā men chī dé hěn jiàn kāng。
The poor family grew many vegetables. They ate healthily.
穷孩子努力学习。后来他成了老师。
qióng hái zi nǔ lì xué xí。 hòu lái tā chéng le lǎo shī。
The poor child studied hard. Later he became a teacher.
Mini dialogue
帮助穷人
A
有些地方的人很穷，没有足够的食物。
Yǒuxiē dìfāng de rén hěn qióng, méiyǒu zúgòu de shíwù.
Some people in certain places are very poor and don't have enough food.
B
我们可以捐钱帮助穷苦的人。
Wǒmen kěyǐ juān qián bāngzhù qióngkǔ de rén.
We can donate money to help poor people.
不浪费
A
虽然我们不穷，但也要节约。
Suīrán wǒmen bù qióng, dàn yě yào jiéyuē.
Although we are not poor, we still need to save.
B
对，不能浪费，要想到穷人的生活。
Duì, bùnéng làngfèi, yào xiǎngdào qióngrén de shēnghuó.
Right, we shouldn't waste, and should think of the lives of the poor.
Related words and contrasts
opposite
富
fù
rich
opposite of poor
similar
贫穷
pín qióng
poverty
a more formal word for poor
related
困难
kùn nan
difficult; hardship
often associated with being poor