What's the general rule of thumb when you're using

There is no 'correct' in English.

It sounds a little contrived; a relative clause would be the more common way to do it. (And by the way 'that'/'which' is used with 'inanimates', 'who'/'whom' with animates.)

> Remember the comedian in that show who was beaten by life?

>>8304317
I think it's fine to hyphenate like that. Your example reads like shit because "beaten by life" isn't really a common phrase. "Down-and-out" might be better.

>>8304348
>>8304336
Bullshit and bullshit. Yes, OP, you're correct. The words of an adjectival phrase should be hyphenated to indicate their status.

>>8306024
>calls post bullshit
>agrees with it

>>8304348
This is correct, except it reads like shit not because of the expression being uncommon, but because 1- it sounds like shit, and 2- the position of the verb is inverted wrt the usual structure of adjectives (e.g. life-beaten, which however isn't an improvement here)