不当家不知柴米贵
bù​dāng​jiā​bù​zhī​chái​mǐ​guì

you don't know the cost of living until you run a household

  1. 不 bù adverb
    not
    Negative adverb used before verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs to indicate negation; also used as a bound-form prefix to form terms with opposite meanings
  2. 当家 當家 dāng​jiā
    to run a household
    To manage household affairs or be the person in charge of a family.
  3. 不 bù adverb
    not
    Negative adverb used before verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs to indicate negation; also used as a bound-form prefix to form terms with opposite meanings
  4. 知 zhī verb
    to know
    to know; to be aware of; to realize or sense
  5. 柴米 chái​mǐ
    fuel and rice
    fuel and rice; refers more broadly to the basic necessities of daily life
  6. 贵 貴 guì adjective
    expensive
    costly; high-priced; of great value