bread-and-butter
/ˌbred ən ˈbʌtə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌbred ən ˈbʌtər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌbred ən ˈbʌt.ər/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌbred ən ˈbʌt̬.ɚ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbred-ən(d)-ˈbə-tər/ (ame, mw)
bread-and-butter — 名詞
1. the work or business that pays for a person's everyday living expenses
生計；飯碗
維持生活的主要收入來源
the work or business that pays for a person's everyday living expenses
Wedding photography is still Mara's bread-and-butter during the quiet winter months.
婚禮攝影在冬天淡季時，仍然是 Mara 的生計。
be someone's bread-and-butter
The bakery's bread-and-butter comes from office workers buying lunch every day.
這家麵包店的生計主要靠上班族每天來買午餐。
bread-and-butter comes from + customer group
For many small farms, cheese sales are the bread-and-butter of the business.
對許多小農場來說，起司銷售是這門生意的主要收入來源。
Repair jobs became our bread-and-butter after tourism slowed in the town.
觀光變冷清後，修理工作成了我們的飯碗。
Without regular school orders, the cafe would lose its bread-and-butter.
沒有固定的學校訂單，這家咖啡館就會失去它的生計。
- livelihood
broader and slightly more formal; it refers to the means of living in general
- mainstay
focuses on the thing a business or group relies on most
- income source
plain and neutral, but less idiomatic and less vivid
文法句型
be someone's bread-and-butter
the bread-and-butter of + business
用法筆記
Often follows a possessive word or 'be' and usually refers to steady, repeat income rather than a lucky one-time payment. It is common when talking about a person's main job or the core business that keeps a company going.
常見錯誤
bread-and-butter — 形容詞
1. dealing with ordinary, practical matters that affect daily life and attract wide
民生的
和日常生活需求直接相關的
dealing with ordinary, practical matters that affect daily life and attract wide public attention
Voters asked bread-and-butter questions about rent, buses, and food prices.
選民提出了和房租、公車及物價有關的民生問題。
bread-and-butter + questions
The campaign shifted from slogans to bread-and-butter issues in the final debate.
這場競選在最後一場辯論時，從口號轉向民生議題。
bread-and-butter + issues
Her newspaper column focuses on bread-and-butter problems faced by young parents.
她的報紙專欄聚焦於年輕父母面對的民生難題。
Teachers wanted bread-and-butter policies, such as smaller classes and more books.
老師們希望看到民生政策，例如更小的班級和更多圖書。
The mayor won support by talking about bread-and-butter concerns, not party gossip.
那位市長靠談民生關切，而不是黨派八卦，贏得了支持。
- abstract
focused on ideas rather than concrete daily problems
- theoretical
concerned with ideas or principles instead of practical needs
文法句型
bread-and-butter issue
bread-and-butter question
bread-and-butter concern
bread-and-butter policy
用法筆記
Almost always appears before nouns such as 'issue', 'question', 'concern', or 'policy'. It points to practical daily matters, especially in politics or public discussion, rather than to grand ideas or abstract theory.