Proverb / Kotowaza
姉女房は身代の薬
Having an older wife helps a husband live a steady and frugal life, leading to the growth of family wealth.
An older wife is medicine for the family fortune.
Quick Answer
Having an older wife helps a husband live a steady and frugal life, leading to the growth of family wealth.
- Literal Image
- An older wife is medicine for the family fortune.
- How to Use It
- Used to describe or praise a situation where a wife's maturity and financial sense have helped the family become wealthy or stable.
Meaning
This proverb suggests that having an older wife is beneficial for a household's financial health. A more mature wife is thought to restrain a husband's wasteful spending and provide the stability needed to manage the family's assets effectively. Over time, this disciplined lifestyle results in a more prosperous and secure home.
Literal Image
An older wife is medicine for the family fortune.
How to Use It
Used to describe or praise a situation where a wife's maturity and financial sense have helped the family become wealthy or stable.
Tone
positive and complimentary toward the wife's influence on the household.
Examples
彼は姉さん女房に支えられてしっかり貯蓄もできている。姉女房は身代の薬とは本当だ。
Supported by his older wife, he has been able to save money steadily. It really is true that an older wife is medicine for the family fortune.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
Uses formal vocabulary like 'shindai' (fortune) and 'nyobo' (wife), though the sentence structure is simple.
姉女房
あねにょうぼう / ane nyobo
older wife; a wife who is older than her husband
身代
しんだい / shindai
fortune; assets; household wealth
薬
くすり / kusuri
medicine; benefit
Usage Profile
Misread Risk
Do not interpret 'kusuri' literally as medicine for an illness; here it means something that is good or beneficial for the family's financial health.
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Related Proverbs
Origin
This proverb originated from the practical observation that an older wife tends to discourage her husband's wasteful spending and stabilize the family budget.
Index
Topics, Situations, and Tags
Topics
Situations
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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.