风中烛,瓦上霜

fēng zhōng zhú , wǎ shàng shuāng

lit. like a candle in the wind, or frost on the roof (idiom)

fig. (of sb's life) feeble; hanging on a thread

fēng

wind

zhōng

(bound form) China; Chinese

zhú

candle

,

roof tile

shàng

(bound form) up; upper; above; previous

shuāng

frost