build up(one’s fortune)from nothing(/scratch); be self made; start empty handed; start from (/at/on)scratch ❍ 朱延年是商人的儿子。他的福佑药房是白手成家的。(周而复《上海的早晨》 Ⅰ—105) Zhu Yannian was the son of a merchant. He had built up his Fu You Pharmacy from scratch.
白手起家bai shou qi jia
start from scratch
白手起家
start from scratch; build up one’s strength through hard work; develop something from practically nothing
白手起家bái shǒu qǐ jiā
指从零开始，创造出自己的家业。build up from nothing, self-made, start empty-handed