зарабатывать себе на жизнь

to earn a living

→ зарабатывать
phrase Rare #41,860
to earn a living Used to talk about earning money to support oneself. The verb зарабатывать is imperfective, so it emphasizes an ongoing or repeated activity.
RU: После университета она начала зарабатывать себе на жизнь.
EN: After university, she started earning a living.