This article aims, from the theoretical origins, a conceptual understanding of the term "meios de vida" by Antonio Candido, to what or whom it refers and which is its real meaning and applicability in current understandings of rural livelihoods, verifying its correlation with the "livelihoods perspective". For this purpose, it ́s applied the latest version of "The partners of Rio Bonito", Searching into the livelihoods perspective, such comparative parameter to elucidate the pioneering studies by social scientist Antonio Candido in the understanding of rural livelihoods transformations in the middle of the XX century. Based on the data and information applied in the assay, the “meios de vida” proposed by Candido, weren't and aren't the same “livelihoods” proposed by Chambers, Conway, Ellis, and Scoones, although attending another proposal, applied in different contexts, from others perspectives, but with the same goals, which however does not exclude the concept from the livelihoods perspective genealogy, unlike, inserting it in one of its branches and arms as located and successful experiences.Este artigo tem por objetivo, a partir das origens teóricas, a compreensão conceitual do termo “meios de vida” de Antonio Candido, a quê ou quem se refere e qual seu real significado e aplicabilidade nos dias atuais na compreensão dos meios de vida rurais, verificando-se sua correlação com a perspectiva “livelihoods”. Utiliza-se para este fim a versão mais recente de “Os parceiros do Rio Bonito”, buscando-se na perspectiva livelihoods, os parâmetros comparativos para elucidar o pioneirismo dos estudos do cientista social Antonio Candido na compreensão das transformações dos meios de vida rurais na metade do século XX.