poor
贫穷的，拮据的
Those women are from dirt poor families.
那些女性来自贫困家庭。
dirt poor= extremely poor
极度贫穷的，极贫困的

badly off
穷困的，拮据的
We aren't too badly off but we can't afford a luxury trip like that.
我们不是那么穷，但是我们负担不起一次这么奢侈的旅行。
比较级：worse off / worst off
反义：well off（比较级：better off）
a well-off family
富裕家庭
She's much better off than me.
她比我有钱多了。

make both ends meet
勉强维持生计
Many entry-level employees struggle to make both ends meet.
很多出入职场的员工只能勉强维持开销。

poverty
n.贫穷，贫困
Many people live in poverty.
许多人生活于贫困之中。

poverty line
贫困线
My family were living below the poverty line when I was little.
我很小的时候，我们家生活在贫困线以下。
In China, most people born in the 1950s were living below the poverty line.
在中国，大多数1950年代出生的人以前都生活在贫困线以下。

poverty-stricken
一贫如洗的
poverty-stricken families
一贫如洗的家庭

have seen / known better days
穷困潦倒，曾经辉煌
The restaurant has seen better days！
这个饭店曾经生意很好。