量入為出

From the Book of Rites, Book 5 (《禮記·王制》):

冢宰制國用，必於歲之杪，五穀皆入然後制國用。用地小大，視年之豐耗。以三十年之通制國用，量入以為出，祭用數之仂。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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冢宰制国用，必于岁之杪，五谷皆入然后制国用。用地小大，视年之丰耗。以三十年之通制国用，量入以为出，祭用数之仂。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Book of Rites, c. 4^th – 2^nd century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

Zhǒngzǎi zhì guóyòng, bì yú suì zhī miǎo, wǔgǔ jiē rù ránhòu zhì guóyòng. Yòng dì xiǎodà, shì nián zhī fēnghào. Yǐ sānshí nián zhī tōng zhì guóyòng, liàng rù yǐ wéi chū, jì yòng shù zhī lè. [Pinyin]

The chief minister determined the expenditure of the states, and it was the rule that he should do so at the close of the year. When the five kinds of grain had all been gathered in, he then determined the expenditure - according to the size of each territory, as large or small, and the returns of the year, as abundant or poor. On the average of thirty years he determined the expenditure, regulating the outgoing by the income. A tenth of the (year's) expenditure was for sacrifices.

量入為出

1. make ends meet; adjust one's expense to one's income; base one's expenditures upon one's income
   • 2005: Shenzhen Business News staff, Shenzhen Business News

     年輕白領理財的首要是要量入為出，強制儲蓄。 [MSC, trad.]
     年轻白领理财的首要是要量入为出，强制储蓄。 [MSC, simp.]

     Niánqīng báilǐng lǐcái de shǒuyào shì yào liàngrùwéichū, qiángzhì chǔxù. [Pinyin]

     The most important thing for young white-collar workers, in terms of managing money, is to make ends meet and to focus on saving.