食える

くえる【食える】

1 〔物を食べることができる〕 good to eat; edible; eatable.

●食える魚を釣る catch an edible fish [a fish (that) one can eat.]

2 〔生活できる〕 be able to live [support oneself]; be able to keep body and soul together [one's head above water, the wolf from the door]. [⇒くう² 2]

●ようやく筆一本で食えるようになった. At last I am able to live off my writing. | Finally my writing is bringing me a living.