两日也吃不上一顿
“sometimes not even a single meal in two days.”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
他不爱吃饭
“He hardly ate—”
两日也 吃不上一顿
“sometimes not even a single meal in two days.”
“He was so thin you could see his bones sticking out.”
Direct spoken expression in this communicative setting.
In Chinese culture, regular and hearty meals are the primary measure of physical health and domestic stability, making poor appetite a matter of grave concern.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
unable to eat / cannot afford or manage to have a meal
A potential complement structure indicating that circumstances prevent someone from eating.