What does "Breadwinner" mean?

Main household earner Person who earns the money that supports a family.

How do you use "Breadwinner" in a sentence?

She's the breadwinner in their house. Lost the breadwinner when Dad retired.

Breadwinner

Slang Term BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★☆ Common Neutral

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Meaning: Main household earner

养家糊口的人，经济支柱

El/la que lleva el pan a casa, sustentador/a

一家の大黒柱、稼ぎ頭

가장, 생계를 책임지는 사람

Person who earns the money that supports a family.

赚钱养家的人。

La persona que gana el dinero que mantiene a la familia.

家族を養うためにお金を稼ぐ人。

가족의 생활비를 버는 사람.

Examples

She's the breadwinner in their house.
她是他们家的经济支柱
Ella es la que lleva el pan a casa
彼女があの家の大黒柱だ
그녀가 그 집의 가장이다.
Lost the breadwinner when Dad retired.
爸爸退休后，家里失去了经济来源
Perdimos al sustentador cuando papá se jubiló
父が退職して稼ぎ頭を失った
아버지가 은퇴하면서 가장을 잃었다.

Pronunciation

/ˈbrɛdˌwɪnə/

Usage Guide

Context: family, work

Tone: respectful

✓ Do Say

Family finances
家庭财务
Finanzas familiares
家計の話題
가계 재정

✗ Don't Say

Outdated contexts
注意避免过时的性别观念
Cuidado con contextos anticuados o sexistas
時代遅れの文脈では注意が必要
시대착오적인 맥락

Common Mistakes

Now gender-neutral

Origin & History

From 'winning' (earning) bread (basic sustenance), 19th century.

Cultural Context

Era: 19th century

Generation: All ages

Social background: All classes

Pop culture: Family dramas

Regional notes: Universal.

Variations

BreadwinnerBread winner