Ciężki kawałek chleba
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What it means
Literally “a hard piece of bread.” Means a tough way to earn a living — a difficult, demanding job or profession.
Vocabulary
- ciężki — heavy / hard / difficult
- kawałek — piece / chunk
- chleb — bread
Grammar note
'Kawałek chleba' — 'chleba' is genitive of 'chleb' (a piece of bread). The phrase is nominative.
Cultural context
Bread as a symbol of livelihood is deeply rooted in Polish culture. 'Zarabiać na chleb' (to earn one's bread) is the broader family of expressions.
Beginner
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