-startempty-handed;buildupfromnothing;startfromscratch;startfromtaw;buildupone'sfortunefromscratch;riseinlifewithouthelp;risebyone'sownefforts;makeafortunestartingfromscratch:
Startingbare-handed,youhavebuiltupsomanysteelplants.Thisisnothingshortofmiracles.你们白手起家,修建了这么多钢铁厂,这简直是个奇迹。
Onecanhardlybelievethatthispapermillwasstartedfromscratchonlyafewyearsago.很难相信这个造纸厂仅仅是在几年前白手起家办起来的。