为生

shí cǎo wéi shēng

食草为生

subsist on herbs

yǐ xiě zuò wéi shēng

以写作为生

make one's livelihood by writing

yǐ bǔ yú wéi shēng

以捕鱼为生

make a living as a fisherman

jiě fàng qián tā fù qīn kào mài cài wéi shēng

解放前他父亲靠卖菜为生。

Before the liberation, his father lived off by selling vegetables.