expression, godan verb (-u)
live on air; live without income; subsist on nothing
Idiomatic expression meaning to live without any visible means of support, as if one could survive on mist alone. Often used in negative or skeptical contexts.
彼は仕事もせずにどうやって生活しているんだ？まるで霞を食っているみたいだ。
How does he live without a job? It's as if he's living on air.
There's no way you can survive on nothing.