Bread and Butter – Meaning and Examples
What is the main thing you do to earn money? For a plumber, fixing pipes is their bread and butter. This common idiom refers to a person’s or company’s main source of income or their most basic, reliable product or service. Learning bread and butter will help you talk about what is essential for survival or success.
What Does “Bread and Butter” Mean?
“Bread and butter” has two main meanings. It can mean a person’s primary source of income—the work that pays for their basic needs. It can also refer to the most fundamental or reliable part of something.
Think of it like this: Bread and butter are basic, staple foods. Similarly, a bread and butter job is the work that provides your basic living.
Remember, it describes something that is essential, dependable, and not fancy or extra.
When to Use It
You can use this idiom in business and personal contexts.
- Jobs and Business: “Teaching English is my bread and butter.”
- Products and Services: “For this car company, small sedans are their bread and butter.”
- Basic Skills: “For a writer, a strong vocabulary is their bread and butter.”
The tone is practical and matter-of-fact. It is common in both informal and business conversations.
Example Sentences
- Freelance graphic design is her bread and butter.
- These classic products are the company’s bread and butter.
- As a musician, wedding gigs are my bread and butter.
- You can’t ignore your bread-and-butter customers.
Mini Dialogue
Owner: “We’re excited about our new luxury product line.”
Manager: “Yes, but let’s not forget our bread and butter—the affordable products that most of our customers buy every day.”
Owner: “You’re right. That’s what pays the bills.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The main mistake is confusing it with the literal food. The idiom is almost always used figuratively.
❌ Don’t say: “For breakfast, I had my bread and butter.” (This is literal and not the idiom).
✅ Do say: “For breakfast, I had toast.” OR “My consulting work is my bread and butter.”
Practice Tip
Think about what your main source of income is, or the most basic part of your job or a hobby. Try saying, “[This activity] is my bread and butter.”
Final Note
This is a practical and down-to-earth idiom. It helps you identify and talk about what is most essential for survival or success in any area. Use it to sound more experienced and focused in your conversations!
