Proverb / Kotowaza
悪銭身につかず
Money obtained without effort or through dishonest means is quickly lost because it is spent carelessly.
Ill-gotten money does not stick to the body.
Quick Answer
Money obtained without effort or through dishonest means is quickly lost because it is spent carelessly.
- Literal Image
- Ill-gotten money does not stick to the body.
- Closest Equivalent
- Ill got, ill spent
- How to Use It
- Used when money obtained through gambling, lotteries, or dishonest acts is quickly wasted.
Meaning
This proverb teaches that wealth acquired without hard work—such as through gambling, theft, or other questionable methods—is easily lost. Because such money is not earned by the sweat of one's brow, the recipient lacks a sense of its true worth and tends to squander it on trivial things.
Literal Image
Ill-gotten money does not stick to the body.
Equivalent Proverbs
Ill got, ill spent
Matches the meaning of dishonest gains being wasted.
Easy come, easy go
Similar lesson about things obtained easily disappearing quickly.
How to Use It
Used when money obtained through gambling, lotteries, or dishonest acts is quickly wasted.
Tone
Cautionary and moralizing.
Examples
宝くじで高額当選した知人がいたが、高級車や遊興費に散財してしまい、一年も経たないうちに元の生活に戻ってしまった。まさに悪銭身につかずだ。
A friend won a large amount of money in the lottery, but they squandered it on luxury cars and entertainment, returning to their original lifestyle within a year. It was truly a case of 'easy come, easy go'.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
Uses the classical negative verb ending 'zu' and specific vocabulary related to character and finance, though the core concept is straightforward.
悪銭
あくせん / akusen
ill-gotten money; money from gambling
身
み / mi
one's person; oneself
つく
つく / tsuku
to stick to; to stay with
Usage Profile
Usage note: Using this about someone's legitimate windfalls might sound overly critical or judgmental.
Misread Risk
Do not assume 'akusen' refers to physically poor quality coins; it refers to the ethical quality of how the money was obtained.
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Related Proverbs
Origin
'Akusen' does not refer to low-quality currency, but to 'bubble money' (abuku-zeni) obtained through theft, gambling, or other improper means. Because this money is not earned through honest labor, its value is not truly appreciated, leading to wasteful spending until nothing remains.
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Source Note
Where did this entry get its data from? The reference links are listed below. To understand how to read this section, see Data Sources.